Milito the man to help Ibra silence San Siro boo boys
Wednesday 06 May 2009 08:00
There can be no other club that has such a fractious relationship with its fans than Inter.
At times, the Nerazzurri may not be much to look at on the pitch, but at least there is plenty of entertainment to be found in the unique interaction between the players and those who attend matches at the San Siro.
Serie Aaaaargh! pitched up at the “stadium of plight” for the Saturday evening dust-up. Lazio were the visitors, but the real opposition was in the stands.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has become the boo-boys' favourite of late, replacing just about everyone else who trots on to the pitch in a black and blue shirt.
The Swede has never been one to endear himself to those who pay to watch him weave moments of magic from those size 13s. And his most recent comments that he needed a new challenge were guaranteed to ensure a less-than-warm welcome at the weekend.
"Silence infidels..."
Granted, the announcement of the big man’s name was - on the whole - greeted positively, although it didn’t take long before the first whistles were heard as Inter produced the usual restlessness one feels when you have thrown good money away.
The grumblings soon turned to outright hostility as the striker seemed to drift off, possibly to thoughts of playing a one-two with a Messi or Eto’o.
Misplaced pass, followed mis-control, followed downright clumsiness - and then out of the blue a rapier-like run through the Lazio defence to arrow the ball into the net.
It is doubtful many in the stands would have noticed the scorer’s reaction as he invited everyone to shush. They were too busy congratulating themselves, which demonstrates that the paying public couldn’t care less about a player’s sensitivities as long as the ball ends up in the net.
The gesture confirmed that Ibra is heading to the divorce courts as quickly as Silvio Berlusconi.
But, of course, everyone would kiss and make up if Zlat laid off touting his wares around the European interview scene and committed his future to Milan – the city not the city rivals, of course.
Inter, for their part, could also ensure their star man has less than a long face with a few choice signings - and where better to start than Diego Milito.
Milito: Top of Inter's hit-list
The Argentine has been linked with a move to the San Siro, and the hat-trick in the Genoa derby last weekend has only strengthened that buzz.
The ‘Prince’ would definitely take the burden off the big man’s shoulders of having to score the bulk of the team’s goals. At present Inter’s second top scorer is Mario Balotelli, on a mere six.
In fact, Milito could be the perfect foil to give Ibra a shot at the one prize he clearly craves... the Ballon d’Or.
Only Champions League winners usually land the European Footballer of the Year award, which is handy as Inter need that title more than anything else – then maybe the boo-boys will fall silent.
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About Richard Whittle
Despite the name,
Richard Whittle is so at home in Italy that some call him Riccardo Rossi. He has lived and worked in Italy for the last 15 years as a football journalist and works as Italian soccer commentator for the English-speaking world covering Serie A, Champions League, Europa League and Italian Cup matches as well as Italy internationals. With Paul Visca, Richard concocts the regular
Calcio & Coffee podcast.