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Inter got off to the perfect start when Diego Milito cut inside and fired in with only three minutes gone.

Chelsea rallied from the early blow and after Salomon Kalou was denied a strong first-half penalty claim he was on hand to fire Chelsea level after half-time.

Parity was short-lived, with Esteban Cambiasso drilling in to give Inter a narrow lead to take to Stamford Bridge.

Predictably, Mourinho’s first match against the club he led for two-and-a-half successful and eventful seasons took centre stage but this was an encounter laden with context.

Current Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti led Inter’s local rivals AC Milan with aplomb between 2001 and 2009 and this was the first time he has brought a side to the city since leaving for west London last summer.

In addition, there is the added spice that former Champions League winners Mourinho and Ancelotti - the Portuguese with Porto in 2004, the Italian with Milan in 2003 and 2007 - are managers charged with repeating their feat in Europe’s premier club competition with their current clubs.
Under Mourinho, Chelsea were often accused of an overly cautious approach that came at the expense of entertainment, but Ancelotti affords his charges greater licence to be expansive and, on the front foot, they are an attractive team to watch. Read more…

There might never have been a coach more intent on turning his teams into a sideshow to his own performance than José Mourinho. Yet he is not the pretty sight he imagines.
On Saturday night in the San Siro, his Inter Milan was reduced by foul play and gamesmanship to nine men before halftime for the second match running. No matter, Mourinho applauded them, mocked the referee, and boasted that a team of his would have to be reduced to six players to lose a home game.

He is a bitter and twisted man — and a successful one.

Saturday was the 130th consecutive time a team coached by Mourinho — from Porto to Chelsea to Inter — has remained unbeaten at home in league play. It is a run built on stubbornness and good organization, yet scarred by an attitude that is inimical to the game.

What Mourinho was applauding from the touchline Saturday was a match without goals or grace. It was anti-soccer at its worst, aided by Sampdoria’s failure to make numerical advantage count, or even threaten to score.

Mourinho’s mind games included prolonging the halftime interval by almost five minutes, leaving the opponents cold on the pitch and the match officials jogging nervously in the tunnel. Mourinho challenged officialdom by demonstrating, not for the first time, that his men will come out to play when it suits him.

We have seen all this before. It is unlikely to be coincidence that this display came as Inter was preparing to face its next visitor to the San Siro, Chelsea — the team that he built and the club that fired him — in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Before that, Europe’s true champion, Barcelona, will play at Stuttgart on Tuesday. If the weekend is any guide, there should be goals and an emphasis on the more pleasant arts of the game.

Barcelona, although depleted by injuries to Xavi Hernández, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Seydou Keita, Eric Abidal and others, overran Santander with a 4-0 victory in the Camp Nou. It answered questions after Barça’s first defeat of the Spanish season, against Atlético Madrid the previous week — and Thierry Henry, Andrés Iniesta and Rafael Márquez all scored goals for the first time in months. Read more…

Chelsea will have been boosted by watching Manchester United’s defeat at Everton on Saturday lunchtime, and then they took maximum advantage by beating Wolves to establish a four-point lead in the Premier League.

But Ancelotti knows he must bring his players back down to earth ahead of the Champions League last-16 tie with Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan on Wednesday. The phrase we always used in our dressing room was that, right up until the point where the trophy is secured, you have won nothing yet. That is the mentality the Italian must instil in his players.
His task is made easier by the fact that their next fixture is in a different competition, while Ancelotti has a further advantage, too, in the form of his counterpart at the San Siro.

Rather than improving Inter’s chances of progression into the quarter-finals, the fact that it is Mourinho facing the club he led to two Premier League titles plays into Chelsea’s hands.

Yes, he will know exactly how to play against Chelsea, all of their weaknesses and idiosyncrasies. The spine of the side – Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba – all blossomed under Mourinho. They are his players, his legacy to the club even after his departure in 2007. The three managers who have followed have added only fringe players, with the exception of Nicolas Anelka, but the players who are the essence of Chelsea are Mourinho’s. Read more…

“Without doubt, I saw some bad signs, and they made it very clear to see” said Moratti when leaving the stadium. “The referee was wrong. You could see I wasn’t happy in the stands (after Sneijder’s dismissal), and I’m still not happy.

Inter president Massimo Moratti is extremely satisfied with his team’s derby victory, but the same can’t be said for the refereeing decisions which add to the midweek controversy surrounding the rescheduling of fixtures.

“We were wrongfully in numerical inferiority for most of the game, but we controlled it well and we won. This shows what great character and playing ability the team has.”

“It was a great joy, it was a very important goal,” said Pandev. “We were suffering but we reacted and confirmed our strength with a goal that is important for everybody.

Goran Pandev won’t forget his first Milan derby. The Macedonian striker was set to be substituted, but with one last kick of the ball he sent a curling free kick beyond Dida to stun the Rossoneri.

“I should have scored before but I hit the post. I was a bit unlucky, but it went better for Milito’s goal. We had worked on these schemes all week. We deserved to win.

“I haven’t scored many goals from free kicks. Do I follow the advice of Wesley? I can only learn from him. He is very important for our team, and not just for his free kicks. Read more…

Patrick Vieira missed cold reception and Manchester United supporters scoffed at Old Trafford. He hoped, could maintain the physical condition and performance, so that when opportunities come to the Old Trafford came, he could appear and release of longing.

Vieira played for Arsenal in the period 1996-2005. He is part of the era in which Arsenal and Chelsea rivalry was so tight. Not infrequently, the competition ended the fight both camps, as were playing.

One of the worst moments Arsenal and Vieira happened when they met Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals 1998-1999. At the time, Vieira failed to maintain control of the ball so that the MU can be scored their second goal by Ryan Giggs. MU closed the game with a 2-1 victory and ended the season with three titles won.

Over the incident, supporters of MU picked Arsenal supporter’s song which says: “He (Vieira) came from Senegal and play for Arsenal” and turn it into: “Viera he gave the ball to Giggsy (Ryan Giggs calls) and Arsenal failed to win”.

“I like to go there. Hearing supporters (MU) singing it. Against United are always interesting. The song is part of the atmosphere. I’ll be glad to hear it again,” said Vieira. Read more…

Sienna AC coach Silvio Baldini was disappointed with the referee’s performance which led Sebastiano Peruzzo action when his team defeated Inter Milan 3-4 in Serie-A follow-up, in the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Saturday (9/1/2010). According to him, the decision to give Peruzzo late free-kick after a very detrimental action team.

In such action, Siena appears surprising. They succeeded in winning first goal thanks to Massimo Maccarone scored in the 18th minute.

In fact, Siena Maccarone almost won once again scored a goal in minute 65. But unfortunately, Siena was forced to swallow defeat after Inter scored two goals and five minutes before the fight was over.

Baldini was disappointed with the game of foster children. The only thing disappointing was the decision of the referee. He hardly regretted the decision the referee gave a free kick to Inter in the 88th minute which had maximized Wesley Sneijder. He saw, giving a free kick is not unreasonable because he did not see an error. Read more…

Roberto Mancini has succeeded in bringing the first new player in the early job of Manchester City. Patrick Vieria finally reunited with Mancini in the City.

33-year-old midfielder joined the City after it is released by Inter Milan two days ago. Mancini had the opportunity to apply for Vieira to strengthen the midfield.

The day after “disposed of” Jose Mourinho, The Eastland’s direct approach with Vieira. He was immediately clear to Manchester to conduct a medical examination. Having passed the medical test, Vieira agreed to sign a contract for six months.

Half of the season at the City of Manchester Stadium, Vieira will receive a salary of 100 thousand pounds per week.

This decision is to keep the chances of World Cup 2010. Because if he stay at Inter, Vieira will be difficult to play on a regular basis. City needs a midfielder Vieira to stay competitive on the big four.

“I’ve always wanted to play in the World Cup. Because I want the opportunity to play more. I have a goal in my career and cannot survive on Inter Milan because I was not on Mourinho plan,” Vieira said on the BBC, Friday (8 / 1).

By this move Vieira will end the adventure in the land of Italy. “Everything has ended after I spent a year in Turin, and three and a half years in Milan,” he added. Read more…

Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Vieira is expected at Manchester City on Thursday for talks over a possible move to Eastlands, BBC Sport understands.

City boss Roberto Mancini signed the 33-year-old when he was in charge at Inter, and both are keen on a reunion.

Inter manager Jose Mourinho revealed on Wednesday that Vieira had played his last game for the Italian champions.

But the former Arsenal star refused to confirm a deal had been done when contacted by BBC Sport on Thursday.

If the Frenchman does join City he will become Mancini’s first signing since succeeding Mark Hughes at the City of Manchester Stadium in December.

Vieira moved to Italy after bringing his spell in English football to an end when he left Arsenal in the summer of 2005 after nine years at the London club.

He joined Juventus for £13.7m but spent only one season at the Stadio Olimpico before signing for Inter, where he won two Serie A titles under Mancini in 2007 and 2008.

Vieira won a third successive Scudetto last term but has made just 16 appearances in all competitions this time round - with most of those coming as a substitute. Read more…