Champions League Betting: Inter Milan Mour of a threat to win it than ever

Italian Football / Richard Aikman / 31 August 2009 / Leave a Comment

Wesley Sneijder is the latest player to have been recruited by Inter Milan using the fee they received for Zlatan Ibrahimovic and played a blinder against AC Milan despite having signed just two days previously.

"Only Real Madrid (who are 5.9 to win the Champions League) and Chelsea (7.6) have such strength in depth, which makes the [14.0] about Inter to end their wait for the big-eared trophy look like an end of summer sale. Take it now while stocks last."

Richard Aikman accepts that Inter Milan were blessed with a certain degree of good fortune in annihilating city rivals AC Milan 4-0 but tells us how the arrivals of such world class players as Samuel Eto'o, Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder can finally see them win the Champions League.

If you think that it is too early to predict who will win Serie A, then think again. Inter Milan's 4-0 crushing of rivals AC has sent out an ominous message to the rest of Italy and, if they're listening, Europe's leading clubs.

When Inter sold Ibrahimovic to Barcelona in the summer for £40m plus Samuel Eto'o some die-hard Interisti feared that the loss of their Swedish talisman would weaken their stranglehold on Serie A.

Ibrahimovic played a central role in the Milan club's monopoly of the Scudetto, not because of his goals - 25 of which saw him finish top scorer in Serie A last season - but also by way of his build-up play and ability to fashion something out of nothing.

However, as Jose Mourinho said last night, "Inter have great potential because since Ibra left five players we have always wanted to sign have arrived and they render this a much more balanced side". The five new recruits in question are Lucio Thiago Motta, Wesley Sneijder, Eto'o and Diego Milito - each of whom excelled in Saturday night's Derby della Madonnina.

The greatest revelation on Saturday night was Sneijder, who having only signed two days earlier was not expected to play at San Siro. But, after giving the Dutchman his team instructions beforehand by text message, Mourinho threw him into the bearpit and Sneijder responded magnificently.

Marco Storari did superbly to paw Sneijder's audacious long-shot away from under the bar after just five minutes and the former Real Madrid midfielder was a livewire throughout the match, coming close again from distance in the second half. His key contribution, though, came when he lured Gennaro Gattuso into a first-half foul which resulted in the Italy international's dismissal on 40 minutes.

It had been a disastrous five minutes for the Rossoneri who had played well in the opening stages (Ronaldinho and Marco Borriello both missing decent chances) before going 1-0 down on 29 minutes to a sumptuous passing move involving Inter's other newbies, Motta, Eto'o and Milito - the former finishing off the move with a curling shot.

Gattuso then indicated to the Milan bench that he wanted to come off after having picked up an ankle injury. But no sooner had he done so than Eto'o was bursting into the area and Rino compelled to take him down. Gattuso was lucky to escape with just a caution, but Milito punished his mistake with an emphatic spot-kick.

Confusion reigned on the Milan bench as Leonardo dallied in replacing his stricken midfielder. Clarence Seedorf was still faffing around with his shin pads and duck tape when Gattuso was induced into another hopeless lunge by Sneijder's quick feet. Gattuso saw red - in every sense - offering a few choice words for the Milan coach as he stormed off for an early bath.

With Inter 2-0 down and reduced to 10 men with an hour to go the game was up and Maicon twisted the knife with another goal before the break following a slick one-two with Milito. Stankovic's spectacular second-half long-shot put the icing on the cake for Inter - who at [1.88] look an absolute steal for the Scudetto.

Of course, Mourinho's men do have just four points from two matches and they looked quite ordinary in their 1-1 home draw with Bari on the opening day of the season. Gattuso's injury and dismissal also clearly helped Inter's cause - and an improved Juventus will pose a stern Serie A challenge this year - but this Inter squad now has the strength in depth and options in the right areas to not only win a fifth straight Scudetto but also end the 45-year wait for Champions League success that has so pained President Massimo Moratti.

Milito [6.0] to top score in Serie A this season and Eto'o [6.2] are only just getting to know each other but are showing promising signs that their fledgling partnership will become quite lethal. Both forwards, who have a goal apiece after two matches, are capable of scoring and creating, while Motta and Sneijder also bring the sort of midfield attacking verve that has been so sorely absent in recent seasons - and which suggests it will be worth backing over 2.5 goals in future matches.

Add to the equation the rampaging runs of Maicon, the midfield solidity offered when necessary by the likes of Esteban Cambiasso, Sulley Muntari, Javier Zanetti and Patrick Vieira and a defence boasting Cristian Chivu, Lucio and goalkeeper Julio 'The Wall' Cesar - and all of a sudden there is an embarrassment of riches at Mourinho's disposal.

Only Real Madrid (who are [5.9] to win the Champions League) and Chelsea [7.6] have such strength in depth, which makes the [14.0] about Inter to end their wait for the big-eared trophy look like an end of summer sale. Take it now while stocks last.

Back Inter to win the Scudetto @ [1.88]; Back Inter to win the Champions League @ [14.0].