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Are Inter struggling in Europe because Serie A is too easy?
A half empty San Siro didn’t even whistle after Inter Milan’s 2-2 draw with Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League.
The Nerazzurri faithful are very used to average performances in Europe, they’ve not won in eight games and haven’t triumphed in the competition since 1965.
Coach Jose Mourinho wasn’t that upset either, he knew Inter had got out of jail thanks to Barcelona’s shock home defeat by Rubin Kazan in the other Group F game. Barca, Dynamo and Rubin are on four points with Inter on three with three to play.
”This is a group with great difficulties. It’s a group with four champions,” he said.
On Saturday Inter went to Genoa, possibly the trickiest ground to visit in Serie A, and won 5-0 with almost the same side that then drew with Dynamo.
Serie A has been declining in quality for years and champions Inter are clear at the top already despite only playing well in fits and starts.
Eastern Europe’s UEFA Cup love affair still burning
What have the UEFA Cup and the Eurovision song contest got in common?
A) Some people don’t take them as seriously as they could.
B) They give lesser known participants the chance to appear on prime-time TV.
C) East European countries have started to dominate them
And the answer, I’m starting to think, is C … because of A and B.
This year will be the third year in the past six that an ex-Soviet team plays in the UEFA Cup final after victories by Russian sides Zenit St Petersburg last year and CSKA Moscow in 2005.
These Eastern European teams are definitely worth their salt. Many teams might claim to be disinterested, but if given a chance to be in these places, they’d grab it. Furthermore the players from these finalists are being scouted and snapped up as well by other clubs, especially after the finals. Look at what happened to Zenit St Petersburg after the previous season.
SL Benfica
1) I am not Russian
2) Football, like mother other things in life, is about logic abd yes, more money usually means a stronger league
3) What have Portuguese clubs achieved recently, the last five years for example? Zenit and CSKA on the other hand, have won the UEFA Cup.
4) Quote: “At least, we know where the money from our teams come from, instead of Russian ones.” What exactly are you implying?