Forlan out of Inter Milan's Champions League squad

2010 UEFA Champions League champions Internationale Milan will have to do without their new Uruguayan signing Diego Forlan in the group stages of their UEFA Champions League campaign as Forlan has already played for his old club Atletico Madrid against Norway's Stromsgodset in the Europa League qualifiers this season and as per UEFA rules if a team progress into the group stages then the played is cup tied until end-December and can only play for his new club in the new year (not season) from January onwards.

This means Diego Forlan could only make his European debut for Inter Milan next year in the pre-quarterfinals if the Italian progress from their group which includes Russians CSKA Moscow, OSC Lille from France and Turkey's Trabzonspor.

Forlan joined Inter Milan on the last day of the transfer window and it seems the Nerazzurri did not know about his ineligibility to play in the Champions League. The striker was brought in as a replacement for Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o, who has moved to Russian side Anzhi Makachkala, with the club surely expecting him to be eligible for continental competitions.

And the European media has already drubbed the whole case as an unwanted transfer blip for the Italians. The Italian 'Gazzetta dello Sport' said that Inter president Massimo Moratti was not amused by such a huge mistake and Inter Milan has made a complete fool of themselves.

It will be interesting to see if the mistake will hamper Inter Milan's progress in the Champions League, then in the end their group isn't too strong compared to other groupings this season and maybe later in the season Forlan will get some goals for them.

VIDEO's: Dejan Stanković's long ranger efforts

Inter Milan's Dejan Stanković scored an incredible long range effort after only 25 seconds against Schalke 04 in a UEFA Champions League first-leg last night, but it wasn't the first such goal for the Serbian midfielder. Here a look at last nights goal and one he scored about 18 months back in the Italian Serie A against FC Genoa 93. Watch & enjoy!

UEFA Champions League - 05/04/2011: Inter Milan 2-5 Schalke 04:





Serie A - 17/10/2009: FC Genoa 93 0-5 Inter Milan

Deloitte Football Money League: Real Madrid top again!

The Deloitte Football Money League 2009/10 has been released with Spanish giants Real Madrid topping the league table of the world's 20 richest football clubs for the sixth straight year, according to auditing firm Deloitte.

For the first time the combined revenues of the 20 biggest football clubs in the world has crossed the 4 billion Euros mark and now stands at 4,3 billion Euros an increase of 8,3 percent with all these clubs coming out of Europe. England remains the most represented with seven out of the top 20 clubs from the Premier League, four each from Germany and Italy, three from Spain plus two from France.

But once more Spain's big two are the highest revenue earners in world football. Though playing second fiddle to FC Barcelona in the Spanish league Real Madrid have been able to increase their revenues by 37.2 million Euros from the previous season to now an impressive 438,6 million Euros with Barca 40,5 million Euros behind. But the Catalans could close the gap considerably through their 30 million Euros per annum sponsorship deal with the Qatar Foundation.

Meanwhile the biggest jump came from big spending Manchester City who have come from 19th to 11th in the table and the Deloitte researchers think in coming seasons they along with Tottenham Hotspurs would make it into the top ten. Who they could replace was not said, but most likely the Italian clubs who are falling behind and maybe even Liverpool without European football.


Deloitte Football Money League - 2009/2010 Top 20

01. (01) Real Madrid 438,6 million Euros
02. (02) FC Barcelona 398,1 million Euros
03. (03) Manchester United 349,8 million Euros
04. (04) FC Bayern Munich 323,0 million Euros
05. (05) FC Arsenal London 274,1 million Euros
06. (06) FC Chelsea London 255,9 million Euros
07. (10) AC Milan 235,8 million Euros
08. (07) FC Liverpool 225,3 million Euros
09. (09) Inter Milan 224,8 million Euros
10. (08) Juventus Torino 205,0 million Euros
11. (19) Manchester City 152,8 million Euros
12. (15) Tottenham Hotspurs 146,3 million Euros
13. (11) Hamburger SV 146,2 million Euros
14. (13) Olympique Lyonnais 146,1 million Euros
15. (14) Olympique Marseille 141,1 million Euros
16. (16) FC Schalke 04 139,8 million Euros
17. (--) Atlético de Madrid 124,5 million Euros
18. (12) AS Roma 122,7 million Euros
19. (--) VfB Stuttgart 114,8 million Euros
20. (--) Aston Villa 109,4 million Euros

Rafa no more Inter Milan coach

Some relationships people say are made in heaven, but that between Italian giants Internationale Milan and their Spanish coach Rafael Benitez simply wasn't and the much awaited sacking came earlier today after the club and their now former coach worked out the financial details before officially parting ways. It somehow didn't work and Benitez in the end didn't even survive six months with the Nerazzurri (The Black & Blues).

But Benitez was on a lost mission from the start. His predecessor Jose Mourinho won everything with the club in his two years in Milano and this summer the club mainly retained the same squad, but injuries robbed Benitez of some of his best players and after such a sensational season as the last it always was difficult to recreate that form and level of performance.

The official statement from Inter Milan on their website read "a mutually satisfactory agreement for the early termination of his contract had been agreed." And this was the reason why the dismissal took so long to be officially announced.

The timing of the sacking can be termed as unfortunate with Inter Milan last week winning the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi against TP Mazembe from Congo, but the relationship between Benitez and the board had been damaged beyond repair after Benitez in a press conference said the following, "There are three possibilities for the club. One, 100% support for the coach and buy four or five players to build a stronger team with competition among the players to be able to carry on winning matches and trophies. Two, carry on like this without a project, without planning, and go ahead with one person to blame, for the whole season. The third is to speak to my agent to reach an agreement if there is not this support. Simple."

The club took option three. Inter president Massimo Moratti is known not to stick too long with a coach who he thinks isn't going to deliver. And it became more and more evident from the statements he made over the last few weeks that this was the case and even winning the FIFA Club World Cup couldn't save Benitez his job. Moratti had said in Italy, "I'm sorry the relationship with Benitez is over, but the split had become inevitable."

Now Benitez leaves and the discussions have started who will replace him. The front-runner is said to be a former AC Milan star and last season Milan's coach Brazilian Leonardo. Other names being mentioned are those of Walter Zenga, Luciano Spalletti, Frank Rijkaard, Fabio Capello or Diego Simeone.

Meanwhile Benitez's reputation as a top coach has suffered but his success at FC Valencia and FC Liverpool make him a hot property on the European coaching circuit. And the craziest of all rumours is that of a possible return to Liverpool if Roy Hodgson is shown the door at Anfield.

Nothing is impossible in football, but one will have to wait and see...

UEFA Super Cup: Atletico shock Inter

Club Atlético de Madrid scored a shock 2-0 victory against FC Internazionale Milano in the European season opening UEFA Super Cup in Monaco last night. If one had hoped for an entertaining match of football as the usual pressure isn't there, then one would have been heavily disappointed as both sides focused on their defence like in their successful European campaigns last season.

In the end the Europa League champions got the better of the Champions League winners due to two goals from Spaniard José Antonio Reyes and Argentinian Sergio Agüero. It also ended Inter's chances to emulate FC Barcelona by winning six titles in a calendar year. Inter over the weekend had won the Italian Super Cup to win their fourth title, but the fifth would elude them against an Atletico who deservingly took home the Super Cup.

It was interesting to see that both sides only made one change each to the first eleven which won them the trophies in May. Inter's new coach Rafael Benitez brought on Dejan Stanković for Goran Pandev; while his counterpart Quique Sánchez Flores gave new signing Uruguayan Diego Godín a start in defence.

Both sides focused on their defences early on and no chance in the first session would actually force the two keepers to make any saves. But things changed after the break as Atletico would take control and Inter didn't really have an answer. José Antonio Reyes would threaten Júlio César's goal for the first time in the 59th minute with a good shot, but the Brazilian keeper could clear for a corner. But three minutes later Reyes would give his side the lead as he would beat Maicon and César's outstretched hand. Atletico were high and dry in the 83rd minute when Simão beat Lucio on the left to play the ball into the middle with Sergio Agüero only having to push the ball into an empty net. Inter could have come back late in the game, but Diego Milito's penalty was cleared by teenage keeper David de Gea just a minute from time. Thereafter it was celebration time for Atletico and their fans, while there is some home work still to be done by Benitez and his boys.

The "Special One" has landed

Spanish giants Real Madrid today unveiled their new coach - Jose Mourinho. And many say it is a match made in Heaven, but the "Special One" will have to prove if he can make Real Madrid into the "Real One".

And I doubt if a new era of Galacticos is set to happen as Mourinho's style of play is rather result oriented football a la Inter Milan this season. If the Real faithfuls will accept such football will have to be seen, but then in the end winning matches and titles is what football is mostly about. Isn't it?

The Portuguese has signed a four year contract with the Spanish giants worth 10 Million Euros per annum. Real Madrid and Mourinho's last club Italian giants Internationale Milan had agreed on a compensation package to finalise the deal.

The 47-year-old replaces Chilean Manuel Pellegrini to become Real Madrid's eleventh coach in the past seven years. The clubs management will surely want some continuity in whoever is their coach in the coming years.

The club hopes to launch a new era of success under one of the most successful coaches of our times. But Mourinho has a real task on his hands, coaching at one of the toughest club sides in the world where expectations are higher then anywhere else.
Be it the clubs management or the fans they would expect the club to regain the Spanish league title from FC Barcelona plus in Europe to cross the pre-quarterfinal stage six years and win the UEFA Champions League title after nine long years. And then Mourinho is coming from Inter Milan as a treble winning coach.
So expectations will be sky high...

For Mourinho coming back to Spain makes his career come foul circle. It all started in Barcelona 14 years ago as a translator to Bobby Robson at the Catalan giants, now he joins their biggest rivals. And over this UEFA Champions League season he made himself "persona non grata" in Barcelona by his on field celebration after Inter Milan beat Barca in the semifinals. And then Inter Milan went on to win the Champions League title against Bayern Munich in the final at Real Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium.

One will have to wait and see if Mourinho can create his own ecosystem at Real Madrid like he was able to create at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan which allows him to operate his way or if the management gets too involved, which could force him to leave the club early. And also if the management gives the coach the time to build his own team and keep faith in him if the results don't go Real's...


What do you think. Is Mourinho the right coach for Real Madrid?

The Special One vs his Mentor

When Bayern Munich take on Inter Milan tomorrow night at the Bernabeu in the final of the UEFA Champions League it will see two good friends facing each other on the sidelines. Bayern's Louis van Gaal and Inter's Jose Mourinho are long time friends and even ahead of such a big match the duo are texting each other, maybe even talking over the phone. The duo have a lot in common, especially their arrogance but when it comes to football their philosophies differ. Mourinho plays result oriented football, while van Gaal's teams play creative and attacking football. The two have huge respect for each other.

Both coaches can create history as both club have won the domestic double of league and cup. But no Italian or German club has ever won the treble.

Dutchman Louis van Gaal and Portuguese Jose Mourinho know each other very well since the their days together at FC Barcelona. And the "special one" as Mourinho refers to himself will face his mentor, who not only used him as a translator at the Catalan giants, but also helped him develop as a coach before venturing out to become one of the best coaches in world football.

Mourinho's story shows that with determination and talent you can get somewhere in life, but how often does it happen. Besides van Gaal the other big mentor or rather a father figure for Mourinho was the late Sir Bobby Robson. Actually under the Englishman the Portuguese started his career as a translator and coach at top clubs in Portugal before Robson took Mourinho with him to FC Barcelona in 1996. But Robson only stayed a season before moving on and in came Louis van Gaal with a big reputation after having had a very successful spell at Ajax Amsterdam.

The duo worked together for three years and Mourinho was one of the trusted deputies of the Dutch General. Mourinho now was no longer only a translator, but fully part of the FC Barcelona coaching staff taking care of press conferences, training the team and interacting with the players. Van Gaal even entrusted him with the job of coaching Barcelona's 'B' team.

Van Gaal left Barcelona to take on the job of Dutch national coach and it also meant Mourinho moved on. He moved back to Portugal as assistant coach of German Jupp Heynckes at Benfica Lisbon, but the German only lasted a few weeks and Mourinho was suddenly head coach. It didn't last too long due to internal politics at the club, but Mourinho was on his way. He moved on to Uniao de Leiria before getting the chance to coach FC Porto in 2002.

At FC Porto Mourinho would win the Portuguese league title before being surprise winners of the 2004 UEFA Champions League, a 3-0 win against Monaco in the Arena auf Schalke. But on the way Mourinho would beat Manchester United and due to this win the Premier League would now show interest in the coach.

Mourinho joined FC Chelsea in 2004 just after the Champions League win and the south-west London club hoped for a new era under the Portuguese. The club did win six trophies under Mourinho, but club owner Roman Abramovich wanted to win the one catch prize in European football, the UEFA Champions League and here Mourinho just couldn't deliver and had to leave.

After nearly a year out of the job Mourinho joined Inter Milan in the summer of 2008 and has had two very successful years at the club, which could culminate in winning the Champions League tomorrow. And the question is would Mourinho leave San Siro if he wins the title and stay in Madrid to take up one of the most difficult coaching jobs in the world that at Real Madrid.

Only time will tell...

Unwanted in Madrid, Heroes elsewhere

When Bayern Munich face Inter Milan Saturday night in the UEFA Champions League final at the Bernabeu in Madrid it will be a special occasion for everyone. But it will be even more special for two player who at the start of the season were unwanted in the Spanish capital at Real Madrid and were forced to leave the Bernabeu.

I am talking about the Dutch midfield duo of Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder. While Robben joined Bayern Munich for a transfer fee of 24 Million Euros, Sneijder joined Inter Milan for 15 Million Euros. And both were in the end happy to leave Madrid last summer and now they will surely look forward to returning to Madrid.


Robben at Bayern

The 26 year old Dutch winger has been a revelation for Bayern Munich this season. Robben has been as fit as never before, often out due to injuries and that was important for him to improve all through the season. Robben plays on the right wing and his most dangerous weapon are his runs into the centre to take shots on goal with his lethal left foot. Some would say opponents should know this by now, but still Robben is able to score again and again.

Robben has been one of the factors to turn around Bayern's season after a dismal start. The Dutchman along with Frank Ribery on the left make the deadliest wing combination in global club football, which has given Bayern the edge in a number of matches.

Robben scored 23 goals and has nine assists in all competitions and was the man for the crucial goals in the Bundesliga, German Cup and the Champions League. The best of them all was his left footed volley against Manchester United at Old Trafford. What a strike.


Sneijder at Inter

Sneijder who turns 26 next month has been the creative man in midfield for Internationale Milan, a key element in the plans of coach Jose Mourinho, who plays result oriented football rather then football with flair, but if there was any in his team then Sneijder was most likely involved. Still Sneijder has also defended for his team whenever needed like against FC Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Sneijder has 14 assists and scored eight goals in all competitions for his team. Sneijder was instrumental to set up numerous chances for strikers Samuel Eto'o, Diego Milito and the others.


I really look forward to see these players in action on May 22!

On Saturday night Robben and Sneijder will face each other, but only a few weeks later they will play together for the Netherlands at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

At Real Madrid meanwhile they might look on their own pitch on Saturday night and ask themselves, why did we sell these players...