Inter Shame

It has been a thrill to watch Inter's disastrous fall from grace this season. The team I had originally touted as the strongest in Europe with Champions League title well within their grasps, they have spectacularly self-combusted after the January break.

Failure against Liverpool, Roberto Mancini's mind games with the club, fans, and players, injury after injury, and above all else, an obvious drop in form and determination from it's players. This was all highlighted last week when Inter were awarded a penalty within the late stages of the match. Cruz was the designated kick taker, but Marco Materazzi emerged from the back and hell followed with him. He wanted the spot kick. He wanted to score the goal that would hand Inter the title. (What is really important to note, is that Materazzi also scored a penalty in the same fixture last season to award Inter the title; he had ALREADY received the glory!) But that wasn't enough to 'The Matrix'. He wanted to do it...twice. This could be a testament to how little the players actually thought of winning the scudetto with a point docked Milan and a Juve-less Serie A. Moreover, how arrogant that gesture was and how perfectly it fit in with Inter's collapse.

Of course, Materazzi's penalty was saved. With teammates furious, the coach furious, and the owner furious, how many friends does Materazzi have left? If Inter lose the scudetto on the final day of the campaign I feel Materazzi will have to move on. He will probably have to leave the country to avoid the harsh ridicule and criticism which will likely follow him to his grave. That is only supposing Inter fail to clinch the championship. If they do win this Sunday, most Inter fans (like usual) will try and block out the bad moments of the season and relish the fact that they are champions.

Yet, I will always look back on the the second meeting between Roma and Inter when Roma were up by a goal, only to see Mexes controversially sent off and Inter to equalize through Captain Amazing, Javier Zanetti. With Inter only ahead by one point, those moments become season deciding moments.

My biggest dilemma is deciding which game to watch on Sunday...