During the winter break Serie A fans got to contemplate many things. How will Cassano do at AC Milan? What new signings will we see in the January transfer window? And how will Leonardo do at Inter Milan? The last question seems to be a little clearer after Leonardo made his debut on Inter Milan’s bench in their 3-1 win against Napoli.
<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
It was a big test for Leonardo, having to face Napoli in his first match. The pressure of the San Siro weighed upon the new coach, the fans unhappy with the previous reign under Rafa Benitez. Yet Leonardo put out an organized and inspired side which scored just minutes into the match. A quick give-and-go between Thiago Motta and Stankovic, with the former spanking the ball diagonally into the bottom corner.
The San Siro went wild as did the players, celebrating after their good start to 2011. Yet Napoli’s response was quick, just minutes later Cavani had a goal disallowed because of an offside in the build-up, and then Napoli managed to score the equalizer. Pazienza snuck behind a distracted Inter defence on a corner, and he headed past a fumbling Castellazzi to make it 1-1.
But this Inter side is different from Benitez’s depressed group of injured players, Leonardo has truly inspired them. Cambiasso pops up with an&nbsp;opportune&nbsp;header in the 37th minute, putting Inter Milan in front. It was Maicon’s cross which was placed expertly on the Argentine’s head, and the Brazilian fullback had a strong game with the right wing his territory.
In the second half there was more of the same, with Inter not allowing Napoli breathing space. Ten minutes into the second half Thiago Motta bests himself with another beautiful goal. A pinpoint header from a corner, the ball perfectly thumped into the top corner for the final goal of the match. Inter held onto the match for their first three points of 2011.
While Inter Milan played well, Napoli allowed Leonardo’s side freedom in the midfield. Mazzari wasn’t happy on the sideline, and he was often found yelling at inanimate objects and colleagues. It’s an important win for Inter, and although they’re still 13 points from AC Milan at the top of the table, they have two games in hand to make up against Cesena and Fiorentina.
Is this a complete revival for Inter Milan? Will Leonardo be able to continue succeeding? Share your comments below!

Leonardo Revives Inter With First Win - World Soccer Talk

Leonardo Revives Inter With First Win

While this was a mere friendly and many of the starters from both teams were not on hand, the manner with which Inter overcame Manchester City serves as a warning for those aiming to dethrone the Serie A champions and Champions League winners.
The Nerazzurri were missing the likes of Diego Milito, Lucio and Wesley Sneijder but still managed to put a solid display with some silk passing and neat moves. In midfield, Esteban Cambiasso was as productive as ever with his passing and disrupting of opponents while captain Javier Zanetti was as usual reliable at the back and a useful player going forward.
Inter dominated the match and were in control of possession even before the sending off of Patrick Vieira who was in all fairness unlucky to see red. The former Juventus and Inter midfielder deserved a yellow card in the worst case scenario. The 3-0 final score can be considering a flattering one for Manchester City since the game could have easily finished with a bigger win for the Nerazzurri.
Inter will be a force to contend with in the Champions League and appear to be confident about their chances of repeating as European champions. As for Serie A, it will be hard to see any club, including Roma, Milan and Juventus, challenge the Nerazzurri for the title. Roma do not have a big squad and there is a major drop off in level between the starting XI and the bench players while Milan rely on too many of the senior players who are edging closer to retirement such as Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta and Massimo Ambrosini. The Rossoneri will only have one youngster featuring regularly in their starting lineup and that is Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato. As for Juventus, they are still in the process of recovering from a dismal season and it will be hard to see them challenge for the title unless all pieces of the puzzle fell in the right place for the Bianconeri.
Inter’s victory against the Citizens showed that the Nerazzurri have a big squad and a deep bench which can be relied upon when there are injuries and suspensions. In fact, the Nerazzurri will probably have to trim their squad in order to save on some of the big salaries paid to fringe players and reserve players. Having a big squad has another disadvantage which is growing discontent amongst those not getting enough playing time. Such players might begin to cause undesired distractions and might hurt harmony within the squad.
Two factors will shape the Nerazzurri starting XI as well as the quality on the bench and these are related to the future of Maicon and Mario Balotelli. If both players remain with the club then Inter’s bench will be even stronger, but if they leave then the bench will be a weakened a bit since Balotelli will be gone while a full-back will have to start in Maicon’s place on the right flank. Even if the duo will depart, Inter will remain top contenders to sweep the trophies in their path and repeat as treble winners. Only Barcelona and Real Madrid with their talented roster can dethrone Inter as European champions as the elite English Premier League sides are perhaps a step below the Italian giants and the two Spanish clubs.
Inter’s starting XI will likely be (provided Maicon &amp; Balotelli stay): Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, W. Samuel, Chivu, Cambiasso, J. Zanetti, Sneijder, Eto’o, D. Milito and Pandev.
It will be interesting to see if Davide Santon and Mario Balotelli can establish themselves as regulars under new coach Rafael Benitez. The upcoming season certainly looks promising for the Nerazzurri and their supporters.&nbsp;&nbsp;Feel free to comment below or simply contact me on Twitter&nbsp; @RamiSoufi for further discussion. I am including below two pieces written&nbsp;following the end of&nbsp;last season which&nbsp;pertain to Inter:
<a href="http:\/\/www.serieatalk.com/diego-milito-inters-hero-as-nerazzurri-complete-historic-treble/2432">www.serieatalk.com/diego-milito-inters-hero-as-nerazzurri-complete-historic-treble/2432</a>
<a href="http:\/\/www.championsleaguetalk.com/what-next-for-inter-after-winning-the-champions-league/748">www.championsleaguetalk.com/what-next-for-inter-after-winning-the-champions-league/748</a>
<a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/poll/3558782/">Will Inter Win Titles Next Season?</a><a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/features-surveys/">customer surveys</a>

Inter Dismantle Manchester City 3-0 in Baltimore - World Soccer Talk

Inter Dismantle Manchester City 3-0 in Baltimore

It is quite early to discuss next season’s Champions League particularly with the World Cup looming ahead but Inter’s historic treble was much more than a great achievement. It proved once again how difficult it is to repeat as a champion in Europe’s elite club competition. For the Nerazzurri winning the Champions League is the ultimate experience having waited for more than four decades to repeat as champions of Europe.
President Massimo Moratti helped fund the building of the Nerazzurri squad and brought in Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho with the specific objective of bringing European glory to Milan considering the current Serie A title holder have not won the Champions League since the 1960s. Previous boss Roberto Mancini succeeded in breaking the dominance of Juventus and Milan since the early 1990s but failed to combine domestic success with an extended run in Europe’s elite competition as he never guided the Nerazzurri to the Final.
Mourinho succeeded in winning Serie A, Coppa Italia and the Champions League yet he is racing to the exit door leaving the Nerazzurri in a delicate situation following the best season in the club’s history. Players such as Maicon and Diego Milito are now being linked with a move to Real Madrid which is Mourinho’s likely destination. It is only time before Mourinho is confirmed as the boss in Madrid unless he has a change of heart and opts to stay with the Nerazzurri. Other clubs are beginning to assess their chances of luring some of Inter’s key players to leave the peninsula as Arsenal have reportedly shown interest in goalkeeper Julio Cesar while Manchester City are looking to capture midfielder Esteban Cambiasso. These reports might not become reality but all these claims are a major distraction for a club celebrating a historic treble and with some of the star players headed to South Africa 2010.
Assuming Mourinho and some of the players jump ship, the Nerazzurri will be losing some key components while skipper Javier Zanetti is only getting older despite his consistent displays. Zanetti deserves credit for his fighting spirit and for putting in solid performances time and again despite his age. Below is a brief look at some of Inter’s main competitors for next season:
Barcelona: The former holders were ousted by Inter and will be looking to regain their lost title. Barca are one of the most talented teams in the world with Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez leading the charge. Barca have added a star name in the shape of striker David Villa while the Catalans remain in pursuit of Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas. If they do sign Fabregas then the team will likely start the next La Liga season and Champions League campaign as one of the favourites.
Real Madrid: The record winners of the Champions League will welcome with open arms Mourinho who has made it clear he will only leave the Nerazzurri for Madrid. In Madrid he will have greater individual talent to work with yet less of a cohesive unit and a weaker team spirit. Mourinho will be motivated to turn this team of stars into a strong and unified squad. Los Galacticos already have former Milan idol Kaka and world record signing Cristiano Ronaldo in their ranks but it would not be a surprise if Mourinho asked for Maicon and Diego Milito to be signed from Inter. If they do, then Los Galacticos will be considered as a firm favourite considering they only missed on La Liga title by three points and many forget it does take time for news players to gel together.
Chelsea: Ironically Mourinho was shown the doors at Stamford Bridge because he failed to bring European glory to the London club but he did punish his former&nbsp;employers by eliminating them in the knockout stages of the Champions League by beating them twice home and away. Chelsea hired former Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti and the Italian succeeded in leading the Blues to a historic double&nbsp;by winning&nbsp;the Premier League and FA Cup in his first season in charge. Ancelotti made it clear his main objective for next season is to repeat the domestic double and to win in Europe. While Chelsea have a strong squad with experience and talent, the players as individuals are below the talent level of Spanish giants Real and Barca.
Bayern Munich: Bayern proved they are a solid team after a slow start to the season and the final in Madrid was perhaps a small representation of their season as they only began to show their potential after conceding the first goal to Inter’s hero Milito. The Bavarians will have Arjen Robben (despite rumours linking him with Juventus; &nbsp;just unlikely to happen for a number of reasons) and French star Franck Ribery will apparently return after missing the Champions League final due to suspension. The Germans are a solid group but like Chelsea they are not on par with Real and Barca if individuals are compared on a position by position basis.
Manchester United: Manchester have one of the best managers in Sir Alex Ferguson but he can certainly be stubborn leading him to make the odd mistake here and there, particularly when it comes to offloading certain players or refusing to bring in the appropriate players to replace outgoing stars. The Red Devils did not replace Cristiano Ronaldo and their challenge for Chelsea in the Premiership and before that in the Champions League tie against Bayern&nbsp;&nbsp;faltered once it became clear Wayne Rooney is carrying injury. If Manchester do not sign a couple of solid players, in particular one goal scorer to complement Rooney, then they will likely fall short in the early knockout stages with perhaps a quarter-final spot at best.
There are other less likely contenders but the strongest ones would be Italian duo Roma and Milan yet the two sides have a number of limitations such as their restricted budget for bringing in players and in the case of the Rossoneri an aging squad. Milan will need Brazilian stars Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato to stay and will hope a capable coach will take charge at Milanello to promote a few promising players from the youth sector and sign a number of quality players to reinforce the team. As for Roma they have do not have a deep bench and their first team is often riddled with injuries due to the age of some key players such as Francesco Totti. It is unlikely either squad will win the Champions League but they can play the role of a spoiler if their stars remain healthy and fit.
It is quite hard to repeat in the Champions League as shown by the famous Milan side in the 1990s which dismantled Barca 4-0 in an epic encounter only to loss the next year in the final to Ajax Amsterdam who in turn were defeated the following year by Juventus. The Bianconeri would go on to play in two more consecutive finals yet the curse of repeating would also prove to be their downfall despite having the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero (at his peak).
	<a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/poll/3246497/">Team to Win Champions League Next Season?</a><a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/features-surveys/">online surveys</a>

What Next For Inter After Winning The Champions League? - World Soccer Talk

What Next For Inter After Winning The Champions League?

Inter have succeeded in completing a historic treble and credit must be given to everyone at the club from president Massimo Moratti for his persistence in pursuing the dream of emulating his father by winning the Champions League to Jose Mourinho for his exemplary preparation ahead of keys matches and for his superior motivational skills. However, the Nerazzurri players deserve much of the credit for their solid performances with Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti, Lucio, Walter Samuel and Samuel Eto’o among others providing the driving force behind the successes this season. One player stands out above all the rest and it is not Wesley Sneijder who had a great season but Argentina striker Diego Milito who deserves much of the credit for his valuable contributions in the big games.
Mourinho deserves credit for guiding the squad, for making them believe and for his solid tactics, but none of this can be achieved without the proper players. The outspoken Portuguese craves the media and the fact he did not get along with the Italian press is one of the reasons behind his decision to leave the club which is not something that reflects positively on Mourinho. The former Chelsea manager expects the media to make a big deal out of his statements and create the attention he craves. In England, Mourinho was able to successfully manipulate the press to cater to him and give him the desired attention while in Italy he has failed to do so and was at odds with the Italian media early in the season.
Without taking away from Mourinho, the credit must also be shared with the squad with many of the starters providing solid contributions at different stages of the season such as full-back Maicon who broke down the resistance of Juventus with a great strike in a crucial win which helped the Nerazzurri to retain their Serie A title. Dutchman Sneijder has been very influential too but striker Milito has been phenomenal when it really matters considering the Argentina international has scored the winner against Roma in the Coppa Italia final then followed it with the winner against Siena in Serie A which secured the league title before his stunning brace against Bayern Munich helped Inter claim the Champions League trophy.
Mourinho prepared the Nerazzurri in the proper way and the squad provided a solid and professional display yet Milito was by far the star of the Champions League final. While Goran Pandev struggled to make much of an impact and flopped on every possible occasion, Eto’o sacrificed for the team and was running around the pitch like a man possessed, but above Milito was the difference maker. The former Genoa striker was a willing runner often taking on defenders and running from either flank but his well taken double against Bayern perhaps merits the highest of praise due to the level of skills involved in both goals. For the first one, Milito actually used his head to direct the ball to Sneijder before he ran to accept the Dutchman’s wonderful pass and finish it with style. Another striker might have rushed his shot and missed the goal or hit the goalkeeper but not Milito who faked an initial shot before finishing with style.
As for the second goal, words would not give it enough justice and cannot represent how great it was because Milito ran a reasonable distance before showing some great footwork and displaying great skill to perfectly place his shot to put the match beyond Bayern’s reach. Diego’s numbers with Inter have been quite good as he scored 30 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions divided into 22 strikes in 35 Serie A games, 6 goals in 11 Champions League matches and 2 strikes in 5 Coppa Italia appearances. Mourinho might be gone but the Nerazzurri have a winning foundation and this is evident by the Serie A titles won before the Portuguese arrived under Roberto Mancini who is a decent coach but not part of the elite coaching group. Mancini benefited from having a great squad as well as the demise of certain teams, in particular Juventus, due to Calciopoli which helped pave the way for Inter’s dominance.
All credit must go to the players as well as Mourinho for this great achievement and there is no doubt Inter are currently Europe’s best. The interesting question now is whether Mourinho will take with him to Real Madrid two key players in the shape of Maicon and Milito. If the Portuguese does indeed lure both players to Madrid then Inter might struggle next season. Regardless of who leaves, the current Nerazzurri squad is one of the best as a group and they could challenge again in Europe if the core players are kept and a decent coach is hired to guide the club.
	<a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/poll/3242238/">Main Reason Behind Inter’s Historic Treble?</a><a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/features-surveys/">Market Research</a>

Diego Milito: Inter's Hero As Nerazzurri Complete Historic Treble - World Soccer Talk

Diego Milito: Inter's Hero As Nerazzurri Complete Historic Treble

<a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/04/Cambiasso.jpg"></a><div><figure class="image"><a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2010/04/Cambiasso.jpg"></a></figure></div>The Camp Nou will be the venue when Barcelona host Inter in the second-leg of the Champions League semi-final. In Milan, Inter were able to score a fantastic 3-1 win after trailing 1-0 against the European champions. One player who has been instrumental for the Nerazzurri in Europe is Wesley Sneijder yet the Dutch playmaker might miss the return leg in Spain due to injury.
While Inter will predictably sit back to soak Barca’s pressure the absence of Sneijder cannot be underestimated because he provides so much to the Nerazzurri in terms of vision, passing, keeping possession and assisting on goals. If he does indeed miss the clash then Inter will start with a disadvantage despite their 3-1 lead. It will be hard for the Italian club to contain Barca at the Camp Nou and Lionel Messi will likely want to erase memories of the bruising first-leg defeat.
Josep Guardiola will be depending on decisive duo Xavi Hernandez and Messi to lead the line and create scoring opportunities for their teammates. The one concern for Barca is the status of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and whether he can play the full 90 minutes as he appeared lacking in fitness when the two sides met in Milan. Ibrahimovic did feature and actually scored against Xerez in la Liga but Inter are a much more dangerous team with quality strikers such as Diego Milito and former Barca hero Samuel Eto’o.
The main battles will be between Guardiola and Jose Mourinho off the pitch as their tactics and the choice of players will play a major role in the outcome of the match and consequently deciding who advances to the final to be played in Madrid. Another battle will be fought in the middle of the field with Xavi aiming to orchestrate Barca’s attacks and maintaining the tempo he desires&nbsp;and deems suitable to the Catalans. To counter the supreme Xavi, Mourinho will entrust his midfielders&nbsp;with restricting&nbsp;the space available for the Spaniard and the one player who will be charged with leading the midfield for Inter is Esteban Cambiasso. Winning the midfield battle will be key to the outcome of the match as Xavi’s passes usually pave the way for Barca’s attackers to score goal.
Inter’s goalkeeper Julio Cesar must return to his form or at least perform close to his best if Barca are to be deterred. The Brazilian custodian has been below par in recent matches and his drop in level will hurt Inter considering they will have to defend for a considerable portion of the match. It will be interesting to see how Mourinho will start the match and the instructions he will give to his team while the performances of both Xavi and Messi will determine to a large extent how effective Barcelona will be and whether they will overturn the deficit to play in Madrid.
	<a href="http:\/\/answers.polldaddy.com/poll/3109353/">Will Barcelona or Inter play in Madrid?</a><a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/features-surveys/">survey software</a>

Barcelona-Inter In Return-Leg Of Champions League Semi-Final - World Soccer Talk

Barcelona-Inter In Return-Leg Of Champions League Semi-Final

Latest news from Cambiasso. Find out about all the news related to Cambiasso on worldsoccertalk.com

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Cambiasso"

Inter Milan

Leonardo Revives Inter With First Win

General

Inter Dismantle Manchester City 3-0 in Baltimore

Leagues: Champions League

What Next For Inter After Winning The Champions League?

General

Diego Milito: Inter's Hero As Nerazzurri Complete Historic Treble

Leagues: La Liga

Barcelona-Inter In Return-Leg Of Champions League Semi-Final