Inter became the fifth Serie A club this season, after Bologna, Genoa, Cagliari and Brescia, to change coach as earlier this month Massimo Moratti deemed Rafael Benitez’s time at the San Siro was over, instead opting for Brazilian Leonardo, formerly of Milan.
Benitez became the first coach to be sacked by Inter during the course of a season since Hector Cuper made way for Alberto Zaccheroni in 2003/04.
Ironically, the reigning Italian and Euro champions showed the backdoor to the former Liverpool coach just days after Inter had lifted the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.
The move was in the offing, however, and became almost inevitable in the wake of Benitez’s comments after Inter had beaten African unknowns Mazembe in the December 18 final.
Rafa took everyone by surprise when he issued a back-me-or-sack-me ultimatum to Moratti.
Although Benitez might have had his fair share of justification for taking such stance, the timing of his gamble to demand more support from his boss was completely wrong.
Benitez said Moratti had promised him three major signings in summer but instead no new players arrived as Mario Balotelli was off-loaded to Manchester City.
In Abu Dhabi, Benitez asked Moratti to bolster the squad, particularly a replacement for long-term injured defender Walter Samuel. He also wanted the club to stop using him as a scapegoat for a disappointing start to the campaign.
If Moratti wasn’t ready to cooperate, Benitez warned he had instructed his agent to start talks for an amicable agreement on his contract termination.
Benitez, 50, could have easily aired his views privately. Moratti has done great things at Inter and he would have appreciated not to be criticised in the open especially with the international media all focused on the team at the Club World Cup.
Benitez, I suppose, wanted a personal win-win situation at the expense of the club’s interest. In the end, his gamble backfired.
Leonardo now has a mountain to climb for Inter to recover lost ground in the Serie A.
At present, the Nerazzurri trail leaders Milan by 13 points. Al-though Inter have two games in hand, both winnable (at home vs Cesena on January 19 and away to Fiorentina on February 16), it will be anything but easy to retain the scudetto for an unprecedented sixth successive time.
In the Champions League, Inter will cross swords with Bayern Munich in the first knock-out round in what will be a repeat of last May’s final.
Nothing is yet lost for the Nerazzurri though. Many had expected Moratti to replace Benitez with an experienced coach, the like of Fabio Capello for instance. But Leonardo is a talented tactician even though many are seeing his appointment as Inter’s revenge on rivals Milan for having signed their former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Barcelona in summer.
Last season, the 41-year-old Leonardo led Milan to a third-place finish in his first season in club management.
In all, Leonardo spent 13 years with Milan as a player, director and then as a coach.
Although Milan played some pleasant football last season, their porous defence undid much of the good work of the rest of the team.
The Rossoneri did not fare well in key encounters, at home and abroad, and that is one aspect which Leonardo will have to look at with special attention not to suffer the same fate of his predecessor.