Inter won’t have it easy today

ABU DHABI - With names like Diego Milito, three-time Champions League winner Samuel Eto’o and dead-ball specialist Wesley Sneijder in their ranks, Inter Milan’s FIFA Club World Cup semifinal against Korean club Seongnam Ilhawa Chunma FC should be a walk in the park.

By (James Jose)

Published: Thu 16 Dec 2010, 12:11 AM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 3:58 AM

But after a dream season last year where they recorded a treble, winning the Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League, Inter are seeing the other side of life in football. The Nerazzurri, under their new manager Rafael Benitez, are seventh in the Serie A, 13 points adrift of pace setters AC Milan. Their poor results in the Serie A and the Champions League have meant Benitez’s job is on the line.

With a difficult atmosphere surrounding the Inter camp, though they would dispute that, it could be the best chink that Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma FC can exploit.

“The media has been talking a lot about Inter and their conflicts. But I’m not concerned about that. They will still play a great game. But I think there is a definite weakness with their conflict hogging the limelight,” Seongnam coach Shin Tae Yong said.

“The message I gave to my players was that we may get this opportunity just once in our lifetime. We may never get this chance again. So, I told them that we should not be defeated before the game. I told them to believe in themselves and think that we can beat not just Inter, but any team, for that matter,” said Yong.

Seongnam forward Choi Sung Kuk said: “There is a bit of nervousness when you are facing a top team like Inter but we have a good group of players. We don’t know when we will get the chance to play Inter again. We are in top form physically and mentally and it is a chance for us to show to the world that we are a good Korean team.”

Inter manager Benitez though believes that his team are in good spirits and will deliver on the night. “The team is playing at their best. The environment is positive and it will be positive for this game. We had a good training session and everybody is cheerful and looking forward to the game,” said Benitez. Al Wahda eye fifth place

Meanwhile, UAE Pro-League champions Al Wahda who impressed before fizzling out against Seongnam in the quarterfinal on Saturday night, will have another chance to put up a good show and finish fifth. Al Wahda take on Mexican club Club de Futbol Pachuca in the play-off for the fifth place at the Zayed Sports City on Wednesday night, prior to the semifinal.

Al Wahda, who were facing pressure after last year’s Pro-League champions Al Ahli went out in the first round itself, served up classic stuff when they swamped Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United 3-0 in the first game.

Though they showed some fight in the quarterfinal against Seongnam, rallying from an early setback to level scores, the latter eventually triumphed 4-1. Wahda will be without their captain Haider Alo Ali, who picked a muscle injury and will be out for a couple of weeks. Much will depend on their Brazilian strike force of Fernando Baiano and Hugo, apart from the charismatic Ismail Matar.

james@khaleejtimes.com