Coppa Italia Quarter Final first leg - 23/01/08

Internazionale v Juventus

San Siro, Milano


Claudio Ranieri sees the Coppa Italia as a priority this season, but he knows his Juventus side face a huge test against Inter tomorrow night.

The Bianconeri had to dig deep to come through their last 16 test against Empoli with a spectacular 5-3 triumph in the second leg and the prospect of facing their old rivals seemed to be a valuable stimulus.

Ranieri is hoping to name his best 11 for the first meeting at San Siro tomorrow evening and revealed yesterday that he substituted Alessandro Del Piero at half-time against Sampdoria so that he would be rested.

“We will play our game and I will be looking to name my strongest side,” the Juve Coach explained.

“I am expecting a great game because this Cup is really important to me. We will see the same Juventus as always with the same mentality and spirit.”

After the weekend’s controversial win over Parma, Inter have declared a Press silence and Ranieri commented on the crisis of confidence the referees are facing.

“It’s a tough issue,” he admitted. “Referee designator Pierluigi Collina has said that it isn’t a penalty when the ball rebounds and hits a hand after a head.

“However, there are young referees who need to re-learn the intricacies if they are to do well in the game.”

With Inter marching towards the Scudetto, Ranieri doesn’t need reminding how dangerous Wednesday’s opponents can be.

“Inter are a great club and when they get on the right track they want to win everything,” he said. “It’s always like that for Milan and Juventus.

“Inter are in a winning cycle and will try and win as much as possible to keep it going, but a time will come when the gap closes.

“We know how good Inter are and we are going there to try not to concede. If we got a win it would send our fans mad.”

The former Parma man concluded by discussing the market and the possible arrival of Mohamed Sissoko and Olof Mellberg within the window.

“Sissoko and Mellberg? I hope and believe that they will arrive and then they will need six months to acclimatise. I just hope that they will be allowed to settle in peace,” he stated.

It would be so good to knock them out, but it will be incredibly tough. However I think we have them at the right time, on a wobble and they also have a tough trip to Udine this weekend. Barring any refereeing inventions it should be quite close (I hope). Forza Ragazzi!

As much as I'd love to see it, it sadly won't happen

Juve 2-0

You better do it!

inter at home, cant see anything else over than an inter win

I don't care much about the result of this match but will definitely enjoy the fighting spirit that Juve players have to show...

It's a two leg cup game, but even still, you are probably right.

Juventus will have to take on Inter in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday without Gigi Buffon, Pavel Nedved and Hasan Salihamidzic.

Coach Claudio Ranieri had spoken of his desire to field his strongest side possible for the first leg of their quarter-final tie, but he’s today been robbed of three key men for the San Siro clash.

Buffon, who was on Inter’s summer transfer wish list, has picked up a back problem and won’t be risked.

Nedved is understood to be suffering from a sore throat and will be left out in a bid to have him available for Sunday’s Livorno trip.

Salihamidzic – who was unsuccessfully used as a central midfielder on Sunday against Sampdoria in the disappointing 0-0 draw – has muscle fatigue in his right thigh.

Monaco target Sergio Almiron, despite being fit, has also been omitted from the squad as he is suspended.

Meanwhile, Inter-Juventus will be shown on Italian state television after Rai agreed a TV deal with the Lega Calcio.

The match has even been given a slot on Rai Uno – Italy’s equivalent of BBC1. The last 16 stage of the competition was screened by rival broadcasters La7.

Juventus squad: Birindelli, Zanetti, Iaquinta, Del Piero, Belardi, Vanstrattan, Trezeguet, Boumsong, Palladino, Grygera, Nocerino, Molinaro, Tiago, Novembre, Marchionni, Legrottaglie, Esposito, Castiglia, Cosentini, Ariaudo.

No Buffon and Nedved equals no fecking chance.

The spirit of Juventus kicks in once again. We now have a perfect opportunity to kick that SCUM team out of this tournament.

Absolutely mental game, I have had more entertainement in these two Derbi D'Italia this season than all the other games put together.

To go 2-0 down with a man advantage was just laughable, but then they were both individual mistakes (Belardi and Boumsong, what a surprise). It didn't seem to be going our way and then Del Piero lashed a great goal in, and Boumsong redeemed himself somewhat with the equaliser.

Crazy game, but 2-2 suits us fine, we have a good chance if Buffon, Nedved and others are back. It was crazy to see how many were missing from either side though, enough to play another game.

Coppa: Derby d'Italia drama! Wednesday 23 January, 2008

It was a dramatic Derby d’Italia as Julio Cruz’s brace put Inter 2-0 up despite Nicolas Burdisso’s eighth-minute red card, but Juventus fought back to 2-2!

This was a hotly-anticipated Coppa Italia quarter-final, especially considering the tensions between the two clubs. Those were fired up further this week by accusations of refereeing favouritism for the Nerazzurri, to which Roberto Mancini’s men reacted by calling a Press silence. Inter had not beaten Juve in the Coppa since the 1970s.

Sergio Almiron was suspended, while Gigi Buffon, Hasan Salihamidzic and former Juve star Zlatan Ibrahimovic were not even on the bench. Long-term injuries were Mauro Camoranesi, Giorgio Chiellini, Jorge Andrade, Dejan Stankovic, Luis Figo, Douglas Maicon, Walter Samuel and Olivier Dacourt.

Juve had the first attempt, a Cristiano Zanetti strike deflected just wide, but there was bad news after just five minutes when Marco Marchionni pulled up with a suspected muscular strain. He had been out for some time earlier this season with injury and this could be another serious setback.

David Trezeguet came on in his place for an even more attack-minded squad, pushing Vincenzo Iaquinta on to the right flank.

Within seconds Alessandro Del Piero pounced on a woeful Burdisso error and the defender hacked him down from behind in a professional foul that referee Stefano Farina dubbed worthy of a straight red card. He was not the ‘last man’, as Nelson Rivas was nearby, but Del Piero had a straight line towards the goal.

Trezeguet’s glancing header was plucked out of the air and Francesco Toldo flew to fingertip a missile of a Iaquinta free kick round the post. 10-man Inter also had a chance, but Santiago Solari went for glory rather than passing to a teammate.

Inter threatened a goal from a set play, as Emanuele Belardi missed a free kick and Marco Materazzi’s header was deflected wide. From the resulting corner, the World Cup winner wanted a penalty for his pushing and shoving with Nicola Legrottaglie, but it seemed to be a mutual foul.

Julio Cruz wasted a golden opportunity on the stroke of half-time, springing the offside trap on Hernan Crespo’s pass only to cut back on to his stronger left foot, allowing the defence to close him down.

Solari went off with an elbow injury, but it was when Inter were playing with nine men that they took a shock lead! Legrottaglie and Belardi were caught out of position for Cruz to get his head to an inspired Pele pass over the top.

Less than a minute later Iaquinta tried to dribble past Rivas and wanted a penalty, but the referee waved play on. Juve’s heads visibly dropped and Inter seemed to be the team with an extra man. Christian Molinaro’s low drive was smothered and Alessandro Birindelli also went off injured.

Incredibly, 10-man Inter actually doubled their lead! Cruz was on target again, getting in front of Jean-Alain Boumsong to volley Cesar’s cross in from six yards, completing his brace.

Juve got back into it, as Materazzi was off for treatment after a clash of heads and Del Piero managed to snatch a goal back. Trezeguet had the first effort charged down, but crossed it back for Del Piero’s blistering left-foot volley into the roof of the net.

Materazzi was eventually replaced by former Juve star Patrick Vieira, moving Cesar to left-back, but the Bianconeri turned the situation around to fight back from 2-0 down to 2-2 in the space of five minutes! A corner kick was whipped in for substitute Boumsong – who was at fault for the second goal – to place a powerful header under the bar.

The drama was still not over, as Cruz risked a hat-trick when his shot cannoned off the upright with Belardi beaten.

The second leg is at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico on January 30.


Inter 2-2 Juventus

Scorers: Cruz 54, 74 (I), Del Piero 79 (J), Boumsong 84 (J)

Inter: Toldo; Burdisso, Materazzi (Vieira 80), Rivas, Maxwell; Solari (J Zanetti 57), Maniche, Pele`, Cesar; Cruz, Crespo (Cambiasso 67)

Juventus: Belardi; Birindelli (Boumsong 67), Grygera, Legrottaglie, Molinaro; Marchionni (Trezeguet 7), Nocerino, C Zanetti, Palladino; Iaquinta, Del Piero

Ref: Farina

Sent off: Burdisso 8 (I)

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jan23q.html