Nightmare of 2002 coming back to haunt Inter Milan

ROME: Inter Milan will go into the final week of the season feeling decidedly jittery and haunted by the nightmare of six years ago when it threw away the title on the final day.

It will travel to the Emilia-Romagna region to face Parma in a match that has become must-win, with Roma having closed to just one point behind the champion.

What makes the situation all the more intriguing is that Parma's coach is none other than the Argentine Hector Cuper, who was in charge of Inter back in 2002.

Back then Inter went into the final game of the season on May 5, 2002 with a one-point lead over Juventus and a two-point gap to then reigning champion Roma.

Facing Inter on that day was Lazio, whose own supporters in Rome's Stadio Olimpico actually cheered for the opposition such was its desire to avoid the horrendous scenario of their team denying Inter the title to the benefit of hated city rival Roma.

But what happened has become the stuff of legend at Inter, which lost 4-2 and saw both Juve and Roma, who enjoyed victories, leap-frog them. Six years on and a similar situation presents itself.

Just as it had back in 2002, Inter has headed the title race almost all season long and is regarded as the best team in the league.

But Roma has doggedly stuck to its task and despite trailing by six points with three matches to play, it has reduced that to just one as Inter lost 2-1 at AC Milan and was then held 2-2 at home by little Siena.

Roma produced a great performance to win 3-0 at Sampdoria and then edged out Atalanta 2-1 at home in the same period. Now the man whose team cracked in 2002, will try to bowl over the new Inter with his desperate struggler Parma.

What makes the match all the more dangerous for Inter is that Parma must win or will be relegated.

"We can still save ourselves, it also depends on Roma's result," said Cuper following his team's 3-1 defeat at Fiorentina.

His team is 18th and trails Catania - in 17th, the last position of safety - by two points.

Just to make things more interesting, Catania also faces Roma in an incredible championship-relegation double header on Sunday.

"We never thought the last day could throw up so many permutations. We have to concentrate on ourselves, we'll see what happens on Sunday," added Cuper.

Inter coach Roberto Mancini is just trying to stay calm and prevent his team from crumbling under the pressure.

"While there are still points to play for, nothing is decided," he said. "We had the chances to win the match and finish the title race. Unfortunately we have to go and win at Parma but there's no fear about anything."

Inter should have secured its third title in a row and 16th in total but despite twice taking the lead through Patrick Vieira and Mario Balotelli, it was pegged back by Massimo Maccarone and Houssine Kharja.

Meanwhile in Rome the chaser took the lead through Christian Panucci and doubled its advantage through Daniele De Rossi before holding on in the final nervous minutes after Giampaolo Bellini pulled one back for the visitor.

It all left Roma coach Luciano Spalletti, who on Saturday had rated his team's chances of landing the title as one in a hundred, feeling like he'd had a lucky rabbit's foot all along that he didn't know about.

"We deserve this chance to play for the title for what we have achieved throughout the season," said Spalletti. "We've been by far the best team during the second half of the season."

That may or may not be the case but it has certainly proved itself durable and if Inter crack on Sunday, few would bet against Spalletti's men taking full advantage.

AFP

(China Daily 05/13/2008 page23)