Inter beat Chelsea 1-0

Anthony J. Gatt

Mar 25th 2010, 15:13

@ ALL - my second comment. Very much the same like my previous one.

Silence seems to have fallen. Joe Bugelli's serious argumentation has prevailed ! By far !

Alfred Camilleri

Mar 23rd 2010, 21:48

G. Camilleri. Writing of shameful past, are you by any chance referring to that episode in history known as 'The Black hole of Calcutta', or the abuse and exploitation by the British colonizers of Mahatma Gandhi's India, the blockade by the British of Jews from Europe entering Palestine, thereby causing loss of lives of thousands of beleagured people seeking refuge in the land of their forefathers.

Honours won are appreciated and considered valid irrespective of whether you care for them or not. Why are Manchester United the best team/club because they have been the most consistent team in the last 5 years? The European Cup didn't start in the last 5 years. Do we disdain the feats of Real Madrid - 9 wins or AC Milan - 7, and why not, Liverpool, 5, because they won most of their honours before 2005. After all United won one cup and appeared in another final, the same as Milan and Liverpool. So where does Barcelona stand having won twice?

These are my last comments on the subject and you are welcome to your illusions about the might of Man United and England in general

Peter Vella

Mar 23rd 2010, 21:44

@ G. Camilleri - ghal darb'ohra rega qallek sewwa is-Sur Bugelli ( li nafu bhala Interista ). Mal-Milan ma' tista' tikkumpara lil hadd, ahseb u ara lil United. Mhux minnu li l-Milan rebhu t-Tazzi fit-tmeninijiet u d-disghinijiet biss. Huma bdew jirbhy fis-sittinijiet, rebhu fis-sebghinijiet, rebhu fit-tmeninijiet, fid-disinghinijiet, u mil-2000 sa' llum jekk jidhirli li rebhu hames Tazzi fosthom ic-Champions' League darbtejn 2003, 2007. Fl-2006 telghu ukoll final. It-team ta' kull zmien, bla dubju huwa l- MILAN. Issa inti ibqa' ghid li trid ! Ghandek id-dritt. Pero' l-fatti ma jmerihom hadd. L-argumenti tas-Sur Bugelli dejjem kienu eqreb il-verita'. Fl-ahhar kummenti tieghek, biex tipprova tiehu ragun, inti ma semmejtx is-successi Milanisti recenti ! Fl-ahhar nett, jekk ghalik dak li sar zmien ilu ma jghoddx allura it-team Ingliz QATT ma rebah xejn. U dan kliemek, siehbi !

Alfred Camilleri

Mar 23rd 2010, 20:01

G. Camilleri. You don't seem to have much material to sustain your line of arguement, seeing that your counter contentions always centre on SuperMario. So now we are bringing in the U 21 squad into the bargain. Even there, I'm afraid England has a long way to go before it will catch up with the success of Italy U21 in Europe.

As to your comments to Joe Bugelli , don't you think that if Camoranesi knows where his roots lie, so do those legions of Jamaicans who England gladly adopted as 'Englishmen' to enable them to play for the Three-Lions. Make sense, Mr Camilleri, please. Giggs didn't need an English passport - doesn't even exist - he already had one, British, that is. Of course, the saintly Ferdinand and the English FA are pure as the driven snow, it's only the FIGC and Cannavaro who are devious, ain't that so, Sir?

Joe Bugelli

Mar 23rd 2010, 15:01

@ G. Camilleri - it was nice chatting with you. Like me, you're a great football lover. My last comment is, that one can NEVER deny history. Maybe one day we will together enjoy a glass ( or bottle ) of GAVI di GAVI whilst talking about the greatness of football.

HAPPY EASTER !

G Camilleri

Mar 23rd 2010, 14:49

@Joe Bugelli
Are you sure it was just the one glass? ;-)

To be honest, I don't really care about past (especially REALLY old) honours won. If you check my last post you'll confirm this. Do the 5 consecutive champions' cups won by Real Madrid make them the best current side? No. Do the European honours won by Milan in the late 80's and early 90's make them the best? No, just ask Galliani. They may be the club with the longest list of honours wons. But the best, definitely NOT.

Like you, I love football, and strive to watch as much as I can, from all countries. And I can confirm what you implied, that the football played in the Premier League is the most attractive. It is also the 2nd most attended (after the Bundesliga), and offers the most family-friendly stadia.

PS. Although like you I don't like fish and chips, I'm afraid I much prefer New World wines, though I would agree to sit down to a glass of Gavi di Gavi :)

Joe Bugelli

Mar 23rd 2010, 14:21

@ G Camilleri - just finished my lunch ( not fish and chips ), a nice glass of Italian wine, and a good laugh re reading parts of your blogs !
No doubt Utd are a great side. They have ( in my opinion ) the greatest manager. A club well organised. One of the best. But definitely not the best as regards honours won internationally. Presently the Premiership League is also very attractive. I love football, so I watch it ! No problem about that. But, Milan ( 18 ), Real Madrid ( 15 ), Barcellona ( 14 ), Liverpool ( 11 ) Juventus, Ajax ( 10 ) and Bayern ( 8 ) all have won more than Utd. My favourites Inter have won 7 honours as much as your Utd. Being born in 1952, I was not in my nappies when Inter were considered as LA GRANDE INTER ( 1963 - 1967 ). Moreover INTER in 1991, 1994 and 1998 won the UEFA Cup.
Hopefully, Inter will add more honours. But, dear George, nobody can predict, when he will re use his nappies ! So, take care !
Domestically Utd are the best, definitely !

G Camilleri

Mar 23rd 2010, 13:12

@Joe Bugelli
I won't let you wait as long as your inter have to get a sniff at the champions' cup.

Let me start. United are English Premier League champions. There is general consensus (I doubt if you'll agree, but I accept that) that the Premiership is currently, and has been for the past few years, the best domestic league, at least in Europe.

United have been the most consistent team in the UCL for the past 5 years. They have one of (probably THE) best stadia which is always full, have the highest number of fans worldwide and have one of (probably THE) best managers in club football.

I won't even bother comparing United to your inter. You were probably in your nappies when inter last won the european cup, and there is every chance that you'll be AGAIN in your nappies by te time you win another!

I recall many happy (for me) encounters between United and Chelsea, the last of which took place less than 12 months ago, when United blew inter off the park at the Meazza, and then consolidated a deserved win at Old Trafford, though inter played much better there.

Need more, Mr Bugelli?

Joe Bugelli

Mar 23rd 2010, 12:28

@ G.Camilleri - United, best in what ? Mention it. I will wait for as long as you wish !

G Camilleri

Mar 23rd 2010, 11:30

@Joe Bugelli
Regarding your 'nothing was against the rules' comment, I don't believe you don't know that the 'rules' were being bent to satisfy the needs of the regime that was in power in italy's not-so-long-ago shameful past.

G Camilleri

Mar 23rd 2010, 11:26

@Alfred Camilleri
Do you mean to tell me that, e.g. Rio Ferdinand's parents entered Britain illegally?!? Doesn't your horse and stable argument hold for SuperMario?

It also seems that you do not follow football that closely. Both Okaka and Balotelli have represented italy in their U-21 squads.

@Joe Bugelli
Neither did Camoranesi say that he is italian! Deep down he knows where his roots lie.

As for the English FA trying to 'adopt' Giggs, I don't recall them ever huffing and puffing (jitqanzhu) to try and obtain an English passport for this fantastic lad (how your club tried to sign him up, unsuccessfully!). Giggs represented England Schoolboys in his young years. But he is Welsh, so the matter was dropped there and then. Not so with the italian authorities. This difference in attitude is evident in a lot of areas, such as the way the FA handled the Rio Ferdinand missed drugs test case (he genuinely forgot to attend the test, took the test the following afternoon and it came back negative), to the way the FIGC handled the POSITIVE cannavaro test months ago.

We(?) are NOT best in everything-United are though!

Alfred Camilleri

Mar 22nd 2010, 22:38

G. Camilleri. I don't recall that Okaka has ever been called to represent Italy, while Balotelli, if I am not mistaken, played only some 20 minutes in a recent Italy friendly. I see that your list of 'Italian' Azzurri is very, very short. A similar list of 'English' Three-Lions players, however, would probably require more than the 200 words allowed by the editor for your comments.

Seriously though, I don't think that any comparison can be made between Balotelli, who was born in Italy of Ghanian parents and adopted by an Italian family, with the large number of Jamaicans who played for England over the years, many of whose parents had immigrated illegally to England and never obtained British citizenship. As some wit once said, 'should one be deemed to be a horse because one was born in a stable?'.

Joe Bugelli

Mar 22nd 2010, 21:49

@ G. Camilleri - thanks, finally you said it. I'm correct ! You quote the italo/argentine Camoranesi ' I feel Argentine '. He NEVER said ' I am Argentine '.

No comments about your ENGLAND trying to field Giggs ? I repeat, had either his nannu or nanna been English, mamma mia ! They would not have bothered at all ! But as long as England ( or the English ) do something that is 100 % justified. But if ITALIA do the same, like they say in Maltese " HOLL XAGHREK U GIB IZ-ZEJT " !

About the others that you mentioned, those were never referred to as ITALIANS. BUT ON THE DAY NOTHING WAS AGAINST THE RULES !

I assure you that besides food ITALY has a lot of other things to offer - a beautiful country, culture. Stick to your English attitude - WE ARE THE BEST IN EVERYTHING. ARROGANCE !

G Camilleri

Mar 22nd 2010, 09:47

@Alfred Camilleri
Two names: Okaka and Balotelli. I think further comment would be superfluous.

@Joe Bugelli
I think our opinions regarding the Inter-Chelsea tie are closer than our comments suggest. I repeat what I've stated before - inter deserved to go through against Chelsea as they were the better side.

Regarding Camoranesi, I quote from the Wikipedia page dedicated to this, erm, Italo-Argentine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauro_Camoranesi):
"I feel Argentine but I have defended the colors of Italy with dignity. That is something nobody can take away."

I absolutely cannot fault his commitment to the italian cause, but the first part of his quotation fully backs my argument. I could also mention Omar Sivori, Raimundo Orsi and Enrique Guaita amongst other, but I won't.

Oops, I did actually! :)

Alfred Camilleri

Mar 20th 2010, 16:15

G. Camilleri. You may convince and console yourself that Ferdinand, the Coles and the rest of the ethnic Africans - and I'm not being racist here, just pointing out the physical, social and cultural differences between them and ethnic English people - who were born and bred in England are more English, than Camoranese - whose origins are definitely Italian - is Italian.

The Blacks in America, who were born and bred in the USA are referred to as AfroAmericans, even though the ancestors of most of them have been in America for hundreds of years.

I thank you on behalf of the Italians for gracing them with your acknowledgement of their excellent food.

No, you do not have to be a supporter of Italian teams to make sense. You only have to acknowledge facts and statistics and state things as they are, without reverting to such howlers about Macheda and the rest, about the 'selezionatore', etc.

As for your last sentence to Mr Bugelli, it could also be that Inter's performance showed Chelsea to be a lesser team than they are perceived to be.

Peter Vella

Mar 20th 2010, 15:27

Sewwa qieghed jghid is-Sur Bugelli - il-kaz ta' Camoranesi huwa car. Cittadin italo/argentin li meta giet l-opportunita' li jista' jissejjah ma' team nazzjonali kellu jaghzel. Fl-Argentina, hadd ma kien jaf bih. L-istorja ta' Giggs hija differenti. U hafna ukoll. Meta deher car li GIGGS kien se' jkun player kbir kienet l-FA Ingliza li hadet interess ticcekkja biex jaraw jekk xi hadd mill-antenati tieghu kienx Ingliz. Kieku xi hadd min-nanniet tieghu twieled l-Ingilterra, l-FA Ingliza ma kienetx se' tiddejjaq tilghab persuna min Wales fit-team nazzjonali ! MIS-SEMA L-ISFEL HADD MA HU QADDIS !!!!

Joe Bugelli

Mar 20th 2010, 14:46

@ G Camilleri - I insist that you're completely wrong in what you wrote about Camoranesi. Being an italo/argentine citizen Camoranesi was eligible to choose. Having only played a few games in Argentina with BANFIELD ( ?! ) and ALDOSIVI ( ?! ) it was only fair that he chose ITALIA. May I remind you that your Ryan Giggs ( a football star ), who is Welsh, when still a schoolboy, once represented England . Your FA immediately queried, through Lawrence McMenemy if he was eligible to play for ENGLAND's Under 21 National Team. He was not, only because none of his grandparents were English. Had his ' nannu / a ' been English, England would have invited Welsh born Giggs to represent it. My dear friend George, nobody is a living saint, England and English included.
As regards Inter's qualification, you are again being unfair. CHELSEA NEVER HAD A FIRM GRIP OF INTER. All British press agree : INTER are definitely a better side !

G Camilleri

Mar 20th 2010, 13:20

@Alfred Camilleri
I am convinced that Ince, Ferdinand (both Rio and his uncle, Les) and Cole (make your choice from Andy, Ashley and Joe) are all infinately more English, having been born and bred in England, than Camoranesi (who was born in a Buenos Aires province, and landed in italy in 2000 with Verona, when he was 24 years old - Mr Bugelli pls take note) is italian.

One final note to you - I'm not so sure that your comment about me being biased against anything italian (not true, I LOVE your food!) thus not making sense, makes sense in itself. Do I have to be an inter*, juve*, roma* or milan* supporter to make sense?

*Clubs Man United have thrashed in the UEFA Champions League in recent years

@Joe Bugelli
Thanks for seeing sense in my ramblings :). The reason I mostly wanted Chelsea to progress was to have them concentrate on European competition as opposed to the Premier League! Other than that, I feel that Chelsea players really let themselves down at Stamford Bridge, and that inter deserved to go through. I also feel that the Chelsea players' performance made inter look better than they are.

Alfred Camilleri

Mar 19th 2010, 23:44

G. Camilleri. What I surely know is that Lippi and his predecessors were always and still are called Commissario Tecnico - CT or 'allenatore', meaning 'trainer' in English, which, according to my dictionary, means to educate, teach or instruct. Strange that in all the years of following Italian football, I have never come across the appellation of 'selezionatore' for the Italian national team's boss' official title. Obviously the selection of the team is in his hands, as are his other duties of instructing his players in the tactics and plans to be adopted for each particular game; seeing to the physical and psychological well-being of his charges; discipline, both on and off the field of play and other tasks.

Are you trying to convince us that the numerous Jamaicans and those from African ex-colonies who have played for England over the years, Paul Ince, Ferdinand, Cole, come to mind - numerous others could be recalled by yourself, as an England supporter more familiar with their names - really Englishmen?

Joe Bugelli. You truly are reasonable and fair. However, I don't agree that G. Camilleri's arguements make sense. I think that he is incurably biased against all things Italian.

Anthony J. Gatt

Mar 19th 2010, 19:21

@ ALL - I have been following this commentary since it started. In my opinion ( I am a Tottenham fan ) I find Joe Bugelli's reasoning very fair. He seems to be well read about football, statistics etc. Above all he calls a spade a spade !

Joe Bugelli

Mar 19th 2010, 18:32

@ Lorenzo Gafa' - from what you write you seem to be one of those who talks without knowing anything ! I quote to you what English journalist Kevin McCarra wrote in the newspaper GUARDIAN this week : WHEN PREMIER LEAGUE SENSIBILITIES ARE LAID ASIDE, THERE SHOULD BE GLADNESS THAT INTER PERFORMED WITH SUCH FOCUS. EUROPE'S LEADING TOURNAMENT BADLY NEEDS TO BE ENHANCED. I enjoy more G. Camilleri's arguments. They carry sense at least !

Joe Bugelli

Mar 19th 2010, 18:20

@ G. Camilleri : I will never deny that United's Ferguson is a very able coach. More than ever he is proving it this season. But saying that Macheda and Petrucci, only now will be in able hands is not the truth. In ITALY , there are lots of good managers ( i.e. able hands ). They happen to be also ITALIANS. And ENGLAND, and the English teams know it well ! Only, a strict rule regarding players up to a certain age made Petrucci ( and his father ) leave ROMA ! And if you follow football closely, like you said, you should know why !

Joe Bugelli

Mar 19th 2010, 17:55

@ G. Camilleri - about Camoranesi you are not stating the correct version. Camoranesi is an italo/ argentine citizen. He has been playing professional football in Italy since his early 20's. He did not play much in Argentina ( so according to you Argentina taught him little or nothing ). Just the same he had the opportunity to choose to play either for Italy or for Argentina. He chose ITALY. When Camoranesi started playing in Italy, in the year 2000 nobody knew who this italo/argentine player was !

G Camilleri

Mar 19th 2010, 17:43

@Joe Bugelli Of could Rossi & But there is a huge difference from being promising to becoming the finished article. And in the United's coaches able hands that is what they are becoming. G Rossi's recent form also suggests that he is suffering after losing the coaching skills of Fergie, Solskaer and Co!

Joe Bugelli

Mar 19th 2010, 17:36

@ G.Camilleri - though I am an Inter fan, I am defintely not happy with Juve's elimination. Hats off to Fulham ! Although Juve had to face various circumstances during the match, Fulham deserved their qualification for their big effort. Regarding what you wrote in a previous blog, you have to be honest in your comments. Macheda, Rossi and Petrucci were brought over to UK not to learn football, like you stated. They were picked because they are ALREADY quite promising players !

G Camilleri

Mar 19th 2010, 17:26

@Alfred Attard What's really funny (or is it sad?), is that the only italian club left in European competition has practically no italian players (at least in the first 16), and no italian coach. And if you follow football closely, surely even you must know that national team managers do not coach - in fact in italy they are called 'selezionatore'. I seem to remember that inter(-nazionale - what an apt name!) had an English coach/manager some years ago - the same persion who yesterday masterminded juventus' downfall! One last point, with italy's record of 'naturalising' foreigners to enable them to play for the national side (Camoraneri, brown-nosing up to Amauri, apart from the Argentines in the Mussolini era), you should really be the last to mention persons involved in other nations' national sides!!!

G Camilleri

Mar 19th 2010, 16:44

Following yesterday's mauling of Juve by Fulham, I guess Mr Bugelli is back under the rock he used to inhabit up to last Wednesday!

Alfred Camilleri

Mar 18th 2010, 21:12

G. Camilleri. I was not comparing honours won by Italian and English clubs, but replying to R. Attard's puerile claim that 'ghax sa dak iz-zmien lanqas ixxommu tazza ma kontu', meaning that up to 1985, when English clubs were suspended from Europe, Italian clubs had never won honours in Europe. Kindly remember that the Champions Cup has existed since 1956, over 50 years, CWC lasted for 39 years, from 1961 to 1999, another 50 years, while EUFA Cup has been played since 1972, a far cry from the 8 years, 1977 to 1984, when English clubs admittedly dominated the CC. In the same period English clubs won no CWC and 2 EUFA Cups. Real Madrid, AC Milan and to a lesser extent Liverpool could claim some dominance of the CC. However, in the 3 European competitions Italy leads the way by 27 wins, followed by England at 25 and Spain at 24. Funny, I was always under the impression that youths are taught how to play the beautiful game by coaches/managers, of whom there are quite a few Italians militating in the English premiership, including the one who manages the English national team.

Kris Scicluna

Mar 18th 2010, 12:29

To All

THIS REPLIES TO MOST OF YOUR QUESTIONS:

ROBERTO MANCINI WHO NOW COACHES IN ENGLAND SAID:

"La prova dell'Inter non deve stupire. Non è che poi vi sia tutta questa differenza tra Premier League e Serie A. Le formazioni di punta possono equivalersi e vale anche per quelle di metà classifica. Chi è da decimo posto in Inghilterra, lo sarebbe anche in Italia".

Alfred Camilleri

Mar 18th 2010, 00:02

Robert Attard. You must be joking. By 1985 Italian clubs had won 5 European Cups, 4 Cup Winners Cups and 1 EUFA Cup, against the 6, 3 and 8 respectively they won since 1985. The EUFA Cup was only born in 1972. Louis Scerri/Robert Attard. English clubs have been fielding teams composed of a combination of English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish and Eire nationals for ages. For the past 30 years or so, English clubs and the national side have employed a strong element of 'English' players from the West Indies and other former British colonies. Chelsea of the championship years fielded only one Englishman, Wise, if I remember correctly. The only Englishness that remains in English football , this goes especially for the four big clubs, who between them practically win all the honours in England and sometimes in Europe, are the stadiums, as the owners, coaches/managers and most of the players are anything but English. The bottom line is that a country's football success is measured by accomplishments of its national team. And we all know where Italy and England stand in that regard in Europe and the world. To date the result is Italy 5 - England 1

Alfred Camilleri

Mar 17th 2010, 23:27

S. Vella. What cheek mentioning carnage in the Italian championship. Don't you remember Heysel? Or, perhaps, you were not yet born then? And have you never heard of similar accidents to the ones you mentioned in the English football scene?

Joe Bugelli

Mar 17th 2010, 20:26

@ Joe Tonna - jekk is-supporters jidhirlek li stenbhu inti zgur ghadek rieqed. Mhux 15-il-sena ilu, izda fl-2003 zewg teams Taljani ikkontestaw il-final tac-Champions' League go Manchester. Fl-2007 il-Milan regghu rebhuha.
@ Louis Scerri - I agree with you. One cannot compare Manchester United with Inter or any other Italian Club. With Milan, who have an endless list of International honours definitely not. No team in the World can be compared to them. But if you check the records you will find also that United and Inter have both won 7 International honours. Facts cannot be contested. So please, United fans, come down to earth, where you always belonged !

Raymond Spiteri

Mar 17th 2010, 20:22

I think that Chelsea actually 'did it for England' meaning that they took the loss for the good of the English Premier League. Imagine what the Italians' reaction (and that of their puppet in charge of UEFA) would have been had Chelsea knocked out the remaining Italian club in the Champions League. Come next week we would have started to hear that the number of 'foreign' players (read Irish, Welsh and Scottish)needed to be curbed, the financial position of 'certain' clubs (read Manchester United et al) had to be scrutinized in detail, the television contracts were Anti Trust, tattooed arms had to be covered.... Seriously though, I do not think that, on the night, Chelsea deserved any better. Much more seriously, Chelsea can now concentrate on winning the League!

joe tonna

Mar 17th 2010, 19:20

TO ALL !
MID DEHRA STENBHU IS SUPPORTERS TAL CLUBS TALJANI !....ILOM REQDIN XI 15 IL SENA !! BONGU !

Joe Bugelli

Mar 17th 2010, 18:30

@ WHOEVER IS INTERESTED : 13 english premier clubs are managed by foreigners - amongst them 4 Scots ( not English people favourites ), 3 Italians ( definitely not Maltese English supporters favourites ). And the great ENGLAND side is managed by not less than 5 Italian staff headed by Capello, whilst only one Englishman ( probably to be used as an interpreter ) is involved !

Joe Bugelli

Mar 17th 2010, 18:07

I just quote word by word from CHELSEA FC official site :
Giles Smith wrote " A MOSTLY STRAIGHT-FORWARD, RELATIVELY UNCONTROVERSIAL DEFEAT TO A SIDE THAT WAS GENUINELY BETTER THAN US OVER THE TWO LEGS ".

Michael Ballack added : " WE HAD ' NO ANSWERS ' TO INTER ! ".

Besides, read all to-day's UK papers.

Finally Scerri, Camilleri, Vella et all say is no significance !

C Brincau

Mar 17th 2010, 16:56

Sometimes I'm really surprised by the hate English maltese fans have for Italian football :)
MR Bugelli was only pointing out that the diff between English and Italian clubs THIS YEAR and I repeat this year isn't that much considering that on head to head ties,Fior knock out Liver,Inter knockout Chelsea and maybe Fulham will be knock out by Juve while United knock outed Milan! I am the first one who admit that Italian clubs level has gone down lately,maybe you will be surprised but I am one of those who admire Alex Ferg for what he managed to do at United, why not?I love football afterall. but I keep on reading on these pages every time an English team knocks out an Italian team, all sort of comments which are meant to show the supremacy of English football towards Italian football?All non sense my friends,maybe Serie A vs Premier but surely not Italian vs English football.the only measure still existing to measure this is with National teams;and in that I am sorry but England is years behind Italy in terms of success.jst remember that the home of football still have to get to a final outside their home soil

Joe Bugelli

Mar 17th 2010, 16:52

@ Louis Scerri - so you showed me ( like all UTD fans ) that you think that you're the best in everything ( taraw KBIR ). FYI INTER ( and Milan ) own one of the best sporting facilities in the world. INTER have La Pinetina, at Appiano Gentile. Truly amazing. See article on the DAILY MAIL of about two weeks ago. They were amazed with Milan's training centre / grounds. I think you wanted to refer to the stadiums which in ITALIA are still owned by the Comune. I do not have any problems in saying that Man Utd were perfect against Milan last week. But , do not dare to compare United with Milan ( just because you had a good victory for the first time ). MILAN of ITALIA is the club that won most honours in the world so far. United do not feature neither second, third etc etc.
@ G. Camilleri - Washing Machines, YES ! If you did not understand, ask a friend of yours what it means.

Alan Schembri

Mar 17th 2010, 16:44

@Robert Attard

Statistics do not impress me much my friend. It's the current form which counts and Inter's form this year is uncomparable to last year - so forget the 2-0 aggregate from last season. United and other English teams better show respect to Italian football unless they want more surprise exits just like Chelsea have just swallowed. I'm quite sure that deep down Sir Ferguson wants to avoid Inter in next Friday's draw. In my humble opinion, United are on par with Chelsea in quality and if Inter play in the same manner with the same confidence, United could be the next victims...

Robert Attard

Mar 17th 2010, 16:40

Mr. Bonello do you know that man united can field almost an entire english team?? Nine players come to mind at the moment namely foster, neville, brown, ferdinand, carrick, hargreaves, scholes, owen, and rooney apart from the yound ones and also the other british players like giggs, fletcher, o'shea and gibson. DO YOU KNOW WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT OR HAVE YOU DONE THE ROUNDS OF SAINT PATRICKS DAY ALREADY???

Kris Scicluna

Mar 17th 2010, 16:33

TO ALL

stop comparing manchester united's win against milan with yesterdays game. Milan are NO MATCH to inter. a 7-2 aggregate would have also been achieved by inter against milan, in fact in the league the score of both legs added is 6-0 in favour of inter, and had they not played the last game in 9 men, it would have probably been an 8 or 9-0 over both games.

inter are in a class of their own in italy. last year they were unlucky against united having 2 shots hit the post in old trafford, which they made no big deal about as united were winners after all. this year, inter played around with chelsea. if united want to measure themselves against italian clubs, they must pick on a team of their own size....not milan.

lets see how things turn out. but this inter is not the same inter which was humbled by united last year.

Louis Scerri

Mar 17th 2010, 16:09

@ Joe Bugelli
Some may call it sour grapes, but I prefer calling it blinkered stupidity. Please don't compare inter, or any other "Italian" team for that matter, with Man United. And if yesterday's game vs Chelsea was the perfect game, than what about United's game vs AC Milan. Because if "parking the bus" in the opposition's goalpost is your type of perfect football, then no wonder you support Italian teams. Inter is still privately owned by the Moratti family simply because they have not as yet found any foreign buyers. And who would want to buy a club which does not even have its own sporting facilities?! Inter have a great manager, no doubt. But even he is dying to go back to manage a team in the home of football - some say in 4 months' time.

Robert Attard

Mar 17th 2010, 16:08

Mr. Schembri....int bis-serjeta tahseb li t-tazza ser jirbhuha l-inter?????????

Jekk il-United ghandhom defence batut taf li inter laghbet 4 darbiet kontra l-united u kull ma ghamlet goal wiehed fin 1999 2-0 u 1-1 favur il-utd u s-sena l-ohra 0-0 u 2-0 favur il-united ukoll u li ma kellhomx goaler qaddis tmienja kienu jaqilaw go san siro.

Imsomma hu pjacir ghax ma tantx fadallek u jekk il-Milan huma batuti, tinsix li punt biss qeghdin warajkom fis-serie A. Dejjem jonqsu qeghdin il-punti li kellkom vantagg.

G Camilleri

Mar 17th 2010, 15:56

Dear Mr Bugelli, are you comparing English clubs to washing machines because you know how italian clubs have been regularly taken to the wringers by United, Arsenal, Liverpool et al?

As you mentioned that you have a long memory, surely I don't need to remind you of the 4-0 result of a week ago (aggregate 7-2), and those of a few months/years ago: Inter-Arsenal 1-5, Juve-United 0-3, United-Inter 2-0, United-Roma 7-1 etc etc.

Speaking of Moratti, following the millions (billions?) invested by this poor man during the last decade, the least I would expect is for his club to win a place among the last eight teams in Europe!

A walk in the park? More like a Sunday drive! :)

JOSEPH EYNAUD

Mar 17th 2010, 15:09

"José Mourinho's tactical brilliance meant Inter left Chelsea in pieces" from guardian.co.uk
THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE TITLE COMING FROM AN ENGLISH DAILY

martin bonello

Mar 17th 2010, 14:59

Louis Scerri - what blend of foreign and local talent are you talking about ? You couldn't pick 11 English players in the starting line up from the top five teams in the Premiership (Man U, Chelski, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man C) besides they all have non English coaches and are all Foreign owned including your Man U!!!! The only Englishness left are the stadiums they play in...so far...unless the not to long ago proposal of playing premiership games abroad is not taken up.

Anthony P. Galea

Mar 17th 2010, 14:59

@ ALL FOOTBALL / SPORT FOLLOWERS : Joe Bugelli's way of reasoning seems to me perfectly fair. Money seems to be the main agenda. To day it's one country, to morrow it could be anywhere else !

Joe Bugelli

Mar 17th 2010, 14:18

@ Robert Attard - Short memory ? Of course not. I remarked that two teams have already qualified eliminating English teams, and hopefully Juventus will reach the next round to morrow. Very far from what English press ( Gary Lineker included ) , supporters, try to give the impression. They think that meeting an Italian squad is like a walk over. Far from it !
@ Louis Scerri - that's football to day, dear Louis. But at least, I cannot imagine INTER supporters ( unlike Utd's ) protesting against their owner MASSIMO MORATTI. Your beloved team genuine supporters ( and Liverpool's ) are not happy with who owns them. Sport to day is ruined by big money from people not directly interested. Presently I cannot distinguish between certain English Football Clubs and a Washing Machine !! Got it !

Alan Schembri

Mar 17th 2010, 14:04

@Robert Attard

Mate, it's true that English teams were dominating Europe over the last couple of years but that's not to remain for ever. Liverpool have clearly shown a reduction in form and United have found a weak opponent in Milan this year - they still have some poor defending to improve on. Yesterday I saw a perfect all round performance and if it is to be repeated over the next 2 rounds, it's difficult to stop Inter from winning it this year.

Btw, stop moaning about ungiven penalties because that's always been and will remain part of the game. Ancelotti's words say enough - "We didn't give a good performance because Inter put very strong pressure on us. Usually we play in a different way. We played better in the first game in Milan but we were not able to repeat the same display so Inter deserved to win. Congratulations to them" For more quotes, take a look at Uefa.com and see for yourself who deserved to go through....

Alan Schembri

Mar 17th 2010, 12:06

What a fantastic display! What a great coach and first-class display by all individuals especially Sneijder and the centre backs. Chelsea were one of the favourites and once Inter manged to beat them home and away so convincingly, many now believe they can actually go all the way.

I believe this team deserves more respect especially in Italy. Afterall Inter are the team that saved Italian football status this year... without their qualification teams like their biggest rivals Juventus would have no hope of qualifying for the tournament next year...

Robert Attard

Mar 17th 2010, 11:33

J.Bugelli.....do you have a short memory?? What about Man. Utd vs Milan 3-2, 4-0 (7-2)?? Also, I think Chelsea were cheated in both legs.....there were three penalty shouts in their favour...

Louis Scerri

Mar 17th 2010, 11:30

@ Joe Bugelli & C. Brincau
It makes little sense to blow the trumpet of an Italian team which did not contain one single Italian player. At least teams like Man United - who have this habit of trashing "italian" teams, bless their souls - is a good blend of foreign and local talent. Now let's all hope it's Inter turn to taste the Old Trafford experience.

S.Vella

Mar 17th 2010, 11:28

Oh and here we go again.......a one good result in favour of the Italians and here is the army of smugness in full force again.

Mr.Brincau................."Italy will get EURO 2016 and we will have too see them dominate again"..........yes unless someone else gets killed on a Sunday afternoon because two Italian clubs are playing each other. Remember the EURO 2012 bid and the awful scenes in Catania ?

Mr.Bugelli may I remind you that in recent years apart from good performances by AC Milan no other Italian club managed to get even near the Semi-Finals. Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal were all involved in a Champions League final at least once since 2005.

As for the Italian coaches may I remind you that yesterdat's losing side is coached by an Italian. Obviously if it had been Chelsea who went through you would be saying that it is just thanks to Mr.Ancellotti am I right ?

Joe Bugelli

Mar 17th 2010, 11:28

@ C. Brincau - very well said. Genuine English Clubs' supporters are not happy at all with the way their clubs are being run. Big Clubs like Man Utd and Liverpool are a good example. And it's a pity. On the other hand, Massimo Moratti is, as they say in Italia is " an interista sfegatato ".

Robert Attard

Mar 17th 2010, 11:26

@C.Brincau

Who knows how long it will last.....as long as Sir Alex is still alive it will last long my friend....and when did Italian Clubs start to dominate??? The answer is when Uefa decided to suspend all english teams for 5 years....ghax sa dak iz-zmien lanqas ixxommu tazza ma kontu...

C Brincau

Mar 17th 2010, 11:02

Mr. Bugelli ... you said it all... obviously we have to admit that Italian football is being influenced very much from the low revenue generation when compared to English and Italian clubs that is reality, however I wouldn't imagine the Italians having the same spending money as the Spanish, English and Germans what would happen... modern grounds, security etc are all main action points, hopefully Italy will get Euro 2016 and all these problems will be over turned, and then dear English football lovers you will have to watch again Italy dominate.... so enjoy until it lasts... btw and don;t even mention that Inter had no Italian players... remember that at least Italian clubs are still managed by Italian business men... it is easy to get the oil rich people to finance the clubs and win....ej? :)

P Schembri

Mar 17th 2010, 10:27

Grande Inter !! JOOOSSSSEEE MOURINHIO LA LA LA LA LALA! JOSE MOURIHIO LALALLALALAAAA !

Joe Bugelli

Mar 17th 2010, 09:42

Jamie Pace and John Mizzi in previous blogs declared that there is a huge gulf between the English teams and their Italian counterparts. Gary Lineker on the DAILY MAIL ( 14/3 ) wrote that there is a big difference between the English and Italian football right now. Honestly, I cannot understand what they wanted to say. I think that there is quite a good balance. One has to remember that this season Fiorentina and Inter had the better of Liverpool and Chelsea respectively. Juventus seem favourites for another qualification against Fulham. And what about the national sides. So far ENGLAND ( unlike ITALIA ) have no record at all. A group of ITALIANS headed by Capello are giving you a helping hand.