Looking beyond Abu Dhabi

Inter have a good chance of being crowned world club champions for the first time in 45 years.

The European champions make their debut in the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, being played in Abu Dhabi, this evening when they take on South Korea’s Seongnam. Saturday’s final will be staged at the Zayed Sports City.

Inter are likely to be boosted by the return of key players Julio Cesar, Maicon, Diego Milito and Samuel Eto’o. While Eto’o was banned for three Serie A games after head-butting Bostjan Cesar in Inter’s 1-2 shock defeat to Chievo last month, Cesar, Maicon and Milito have missed several matches this season due to injuries.

Coach Rafael Benitez has been hindered by a long casualty list which has had a devastating effect on the team’s quest to retain the scudetto for an unprecedented sixth consecutive season.

Following last weekend’s results, Inter are seventh in the standings with 23 points, level with Sampdoria and Udinese, and 13 poins behind leaders Milan (Inter have a game in hand).

Speculation that Benitez is on the verge of being sacked has been rife for the past few weeks. Inter have already lost four games this season, matching their total of defeats in the entire 2009/10 campaign.

Even in the Champions League, Inter have been far from impressive, finishing second in Group A, behind Tottenham Hotspur.

Inter managed 10 points in six outings and could only collect one draw from three away fixtures.

Critics argue that the Inter players are not showing the same level of commitment they demonstrated under Roberto Mancini and Jose Mourinho.

Benitez and his backroom staff must shoulder the responsibility for the players’ fitness problems as well as for their failure to keep them on their toes.

It is a known fact that Benitez’s training methods differ from those of Mourinho.

Embracing change can prove difficult sometimes, especially if players have to get used to a stricter training regime.

According to reports, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back at Inter. Furthermore, their injury crisis brought echoes of the endless injury problems Liverpool had during Benitez’s six-year reign at Anfield.

The FIFA Club World Cup is a do-or-die affair for Benitez, although some reports have suggested that the Spaniard will be dismissed even if he leads Inter to success in Abu Dhabi. Fabio Capello, Leonardo, Walter Zenga and Luciano Spalletti have all been linked with Inter in the last few weeks.

Club president Massimo Moratti should not make rushed decisions based on the outcome of just two matches. Benitez’s future should not depend exclusively on this week’s results but the performances of the team should be evaluated.

Important factors like players’ injuries and potential signings in next month’s transfer window should also be taken into account.

Moratti and his collaborators must adopt a holistic approach when analysing Benitez’s work. The Spaniard should only keep his job if Moratti and the old guard, the likes of Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso and Dejan Stankovic for instance, are convinced that he can take Inter to the next level.

The successor to Mourinho was always facing an uphill task to keep Inter at the top. Mourinho himself was aware of the impending difficulties had he decided to stay. This was one of the main reasons why the shrewd Portuguese opted to leave Inter for Real Madrid last summer.

Inter are widely tipped to taste glory in Abu Dhabi this week but whether Benitez will hold on to his job for the rest of the season remains a mystery. One augurs that the Spaniard’s fate has not been decided. After all, Inter can still have their say this season.

Serie A statistics

0 penalties were scored last weekend. Francesco Totti could have given Roma an early lead but his feeble effort from the spot was blocked by Bari keeper Jean Francois Gillet. Elsewhere, Bologna captain Marco Di Vaio’s 78th-minute penalty was saved by Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati. Palermo have yet to win a penalty while Sampdoria, Chievo and Fiorentina have not conceded one this season.

1st win for Brescia since their 2-1 home victory against Roma. Mario Beretta led Brescia to a deserved home win over Sampdoria in his first match in charge. In the last 16 years, Brescia and Samp have met five times in the Serie A. Sampdoria managed one win and three draws in their previous four trips to the Mario Rigamonti stadium.

3rd win for Cagliari (vs Brescia 2-1, Lecce 3-2 and Catania 3-0) under Roberto Donadoni . The win over Catania was Cagliari’s fourth home success. On the other hand, Catania suffered their fifth defeat in eight away matches. Besides Catania, Fiorentina, Lecce, Cesena and Bari are also without an away win this season.

5 wins and a draw represent Udinese’s current outstanding home form. After losing their opening four games, Udinese gained 16 points from their next six home games. On Saturday, Udinese edged Fiorentina 2-1.

24 goals were scored on the 16th day. There were seven home wins and no draws. Total number of goals scored is 369. Cagliari’s Brazilian forward Nene grabbed a hat-trick and Ignacio Piatti (Lecce) scored the only brace. Udinese’s Antonio Di Natale is the top scorer with 10 goals.