UEFA Super Cup - Match Preview: Inter Milan versus Atletico Madrid
With the football season in full flow and the leagues in England and Germany already under way, Europe’s elite will take on each other in the UEFA Super Cup in the first recognized formal fixture of the European club football calendar on Friday, the 27th of August, 2010.
Inter Milan, who won the UEFA Champions League last season under their ex-manager Jose Mourinho are all set to take on Atletico Madrid. Atletico won the inaugural Europa League tournament by defeating Fulham in the final match of the competition. UEFA Super Cup is a fixture between the winners of these two highly rated European cup competitions. Before the Europa league was introduced last season, its predecessor UEFA Cup’s winner used to be a participant in this yearly encounter.
Inter’s win in Santiago Bernabeau was their first in well over fifty years, something that they will not be willing give up easily. In their final match against Bayern Munich, Inter Milan were virtually crowned as the European Champions due to Diego Milito’s two brilliant goals against Van Buyten and Co. It was a fantastic season for the Nerazzurri as they achieved a remarkable treble of trophies in winning the UEFA Champions League, the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia. However right after the end of the 2009-2010 season, Jose Mourinho left Inter Milan to take over at Real Madrid and now Rafael Benitez is in-charge of the current European Champions.
Inter’s first silverware of the season has already come in the shape of Supercoppa Italia after they defeated Roma last weekend by a score line of three goals to one. Benitez’s outfit might seem quite competent but the Spanish manager has been quick to dispel any beliefs that Inter are a sure shot to win the Super Cup tie against Atletico Madrid. He made it clear by saying that Inter’s players were not in ideal shape due to their participation for their respective countries in the 2010 FIFA World Cup over the summer.
Alternatively, Inter’s opponents Atletico Madrid will be looking to wrestle back some of the spotlight which has been showered upon their much glamorous neighbours Real Madrid. Atletico won the Europa League after their extra time goal against Fulham in the final match of the European competition. It was a delightful occasion for the Spanish club side, who captured their first European trophy in well over forty years. It also provided a gloss on their relatively disappointing domestic Spanish league season in which they only finished as the ninth placed team.
However, Quique Sanchez Flores, who is Atletico’s manager said that at the moment they have yet to play a competitive fixture after the end of the 2009-2010 season and therefore the Super Cup will provide them with the perfect opportunity to test their fitness levels. Confidence has been oozing from the Atletico camp as their left back, Felipe has already told the media that Atletico’s front line of Forlan and Sergio Aguero is something to be reckoned with. He also added that Atletico will aim to win the UEFA Super Cup title and they are prepared for it. On the other hand, Atletico’s defender Ujfalusi has termed the fixture as the game of the year for them.
Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid have never won the UEFA Super Cup in their history, so any winner of the match will be a first time champion from a UEFA Super Cup perspective. Inter have already announced their twenty-one man squad for the match which does not include Thiago Motta, who is struggling with an injury. The likes of Maicon, Milito, Pandev and Eto’ are in Inter’s plans for the European tie.
Atletico Madrid have also made their twenty one man squad public. The squad does not include Gonzalez, Juanito, Koke, Alberto Perea and Asenjo but it does have some big names such as Forlan, Aguero, Reyes alongside Tiago and Godin.
Inter are due favourites to win the match but surprises are expected if Forlan and Co. are on their best form. Under Benitez, Inter are still a relatively unknown quantity so it will be interesting as to how the former Liverpool manager uses his star players in the UEFA Super Cup match.
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