INTER MILAN MARKED the return of Jose Mourinho to the San Siro on Tuesday by dumping their idol’s new team Roma out of the Italian Cup 2-0 and reaching the semi-finals.
Mourinho coached in front of an Inter home crowd for the first time since leaving in 2010 but Roma limply exited the competition thanks to a goal almost straight from kick-off by Edin Dzeko and Alexis Sanchez’s second-half piledriver.
The win was the perfect response to losing the Milan derby on Saturday, the tempestuous aftermath of which has led to coach Simone Inzaghi being suspended for the weekend’s huge clash at fellow Serie A title chasers Napoli.
The Portuguese is a footballing deity for Inter fans thanks to two magical seasons on the Nerazzurri bench which culminated with the treble triumph of Serie A, the Italian Cup and most importantly the Champions League.
He beat Roma to the league title and Cup in a battle of former Chelsea managers with Claudio Ranieri, only beating his Blues predecessor to the championship on the final day of the 2009-10 season.
Now Mourinho is on the Roma bench, but the fans present at the San Siro — in much lower numbers than for the derby — made their feelings very clear about their former boss of bosses.
The hardcore supporters in the Curva Nord unfurled a banner which read “Welcome home Jose” and chanted his name throughout the build-up to kick-off.
Once the teams came out the applause for the home fans hero spread around the stadium, and Mourinho responded by waving and blowing kisses to all four corners of the ground.
Supporters even booed referee Marco Di Bello when he booked Mourinho for protesting at the end of the first half.
With the match underway the Inter players were in no mood to do Mourinho any favours, with Roma old boy Dzeko placing home a beautiful volley from Ivan Perisic’s cross with just over a minute on the clock.
Nicolo Barella then crashed a long-rage drive off the bar before Milan Skriniar headed straight at Rui Patricio from point blank range.
Roma then woke up and after a Rick Karsdorp cross was diverted onto the bar, Nicolo Zaniolo wasted a great chance to level the scores, shooting straight at Samir Handanovic when put one-on-one by Tammy Abraham.
The contest then turned scrappy and not long before the break a tearful Alessandro Bastoni was carried off the pitch after going over on his right ankle, with Inter later saying the defender had twisted it.
Handanovic and Patricio both pulled off impressive stops from distance efforts from Sergio Oliveira and Barella just after the hour mark, but Patricio could do nothing to keep out Sanchez’s rocket which ended the tie in the 68th minute.
All that was left for the Inter fans was to belt out Mourinho’s name one last time and look ahead to a massive week which as well as Napoli away includes the Champions League visit of Liverpool.
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Very sentimental appointment. Let’s hope he can do a job but I think he may be past his best.
@De Zach Same: I hope I’m wrong, but I suspect this won’t result in promotion.
@De Zach Same: working for United at moment. Getting a club legend in who knows the club might just work. But yeah maybe 10 years to late.
We need to see Tony o donoghue covering forest matches if this happens
Forest fans seem to be getting behind it looking on Twitter even tho some think it’s 15 years to late. Some are hoping Keane is gonna be number 2 I can’t see that myself Keane won’t accept anything less than 100% and that will sadly just lead to fall outs with the modern player, so I can’t see O Neil wanting him there daily. Hope O Neil does well great job to get as they are only few points of the playoffs. Done well for Ireland ended badly I look back at time in a positive way even tho some irish fans dont.
@irishoverseas: I guess that the majority of Forest fans haven’t had to endure the last 2 years of the Irish national team, and listen to his press conferences. Ignorance is bliss. I hope I’m wrong and that we at least get into the playoffs.
@Fergal O’ Reilly: I see ur point the last 2 years were awful but what can Forest expect? A manager who’s being amazing for for that past year or so? If that was the case they wouldn’t be taking the forest job. Hes proven he can do well but like any manager the they 3 years max in job these especially if ur manager in the championship. His time with Irish job was good for the first few years but then he like most managers it came to end and results stopped. If Forest get a good 18 months out of him they could be promoted.
It goes from bad to worse.
Did you know he won two European Cups?! If you didn’t, don’t worry – he’ll tell you.
Can’t wait for RTE to announce that Tony O’Donoghue is being reassigned to UK Midlands correspondent!
good appointment
very successful club manager
3, 2, 1 and……
MON: well let me tell you about a man called Brian Clough and how he got us to play
Zzzzzzzzzzz
Won’t get promotion this year I’d imagine ! Doesn’t have a war chest , or a team dripping in players bought for inflated purses . He has a job to get them up and let’s hope the players buy in and , don’t have inflated ego s and throw their toys out of the pram .
@Tricksy: Marinakis has more than enough money. Funding won’t be a problem, they spent £23m in the summer.
@Colm O’Sullivan: financial fair play should mean they have nothing to spend but when did that matter
@Tricksy: Forest are only 4 points off a promotion place, and it’s still only January. On top of that, Forest now have more spending power than most Championship teams – my point being that the season was FAR from being a right off when Karanka left. In fact there’s still EVERYTHING to play for – I just think O’Neill’s the wrong guy for the task.
@Fergal O’ Reilly: *write-off
@Brian Les: It’s net spend that counts though, and as this season’s gate receipts are significantly up on last season’s, then they might be ok from a FFP point of view
Condolences to all Forest Fans
So is he going to get a proper assistant this time and not a novelty one
U will see sales of neck braces go thru the roof in Nottingham so.
It’s Daryl Murphy that I feel sorry for. Retires from international football to escape MON & RK and now they follow him to Forest!
It’s Daryl Murphy that I feel sorry for. Retires from international football to escape MON & RK and now they follow him to Forest!
It’s Daryl Murphy that I feel sorry for. Retires from international football to escape MON & RK and now they follow him to Forest!
It’s Daryl Murphy that I feel sorry for. Retires from international football to escape MON & RK and now they follow him to Forest!
Joker