FOR THE Inter Milan fans, ecstatic with joy at their side’s 2-0 defeat of Bayern Munich in Saturday’s Champions League final, this was a bittersweet weekend of mixed emotions. The joy of finally lifting European club soccer’s most prestigious trophy after a 45-year wait was partly mitigated by the realisation that, as many had feared, their coach, “Special One” José Mourinho, will now be moving on.
Whilst the implications of Mourinho’s imminent departure may sink in later, the Inter fans were determined to enjoy the party on Saturday night. An estimated 23,000 of them had made the journey to Madrid, while 100,000 gathered in front of giant TV screens in Milan’s central Piazza Duomo, and 45,000 fans travelled out to the Meazza Stadium in San Siro at 5.30 yesterday morning to welcome home their conquering heroes.
For the Italian media, obviously, yesterday was a day for the emphatic headline – "Only Inter" went Milan sports daily Gazzetta Dello Sport; "Inter, Mythical", responded Rome sports daily Corriere Dello Sport, whilst Rome daily La Repubblicatouched on the bittersweet nature of the night with its headline, "A Triumphant Night For Inter, But Mou Is Leaving".
Inevitably, nearly all commentators pointed out how this Inter triumph had the letter "M" written all over it – M for coach Mourinho, M for Argentine striker Diego Milito, scorer of both goals on Saturday night and M for Inter owner Massimo Moratti, petrol millionaire who was an enthusiastic 20-year-old when Inter, owned by his father Angelo, last won the trophy in 1965: "Behind this Cup win, there are ideally three names which all begin with M, just like Milan itself – Moratti, Mourinho and Milito. Inter's growth, its path to maturity owes much to Mourinho. Even if we do not always appreciate some of his histrionics . . . you have to admit that . . . he has changed the look, the soul and perhaps the destiny of a side which over the years was more laughed at than admired, more fragile than strong," commented La Repubblica.
Turin daily, La Stampaunderlined the links with the past via the Moratti ownership, commenting: "Football has accustomed us to a whole sea of clichés, but the idea of this trophy passing from father Angelo to son Massimo is no cliché, rather it is a strong sentimental link with the past which defends the club in times good and bad."
Many commentators underlined how Inter, on the way to winning this trophy, had beaten the champions of England, Spain and finally Germany, in the process saving Italy’s position in the Uefa rankings, in third place ahead of Germany and thus still entitled to four clubs in next season’s Champions League.
Furthermore, at the end of a season when Inter were often labelled “defensive”, Italian commentators begged to differ: “We will see now who has the nerve to go on about . . . a too defensive (Inter) game.
"Last night, Inter pulled off a masterpiece. They waited and then they struck, and then they waited again and struck again in exactly the same way as the Great Inter of Angelo Moratti," said Corriere Dello Sport.
