Chapter 323: "Stupid Mancini"

Inter Milan Draws Again!

This was an unexpected, yet ultimately understandable result.

Roma is a strong team, so it's not shocking that they managed to draw with Inter Milan on the road. However, the real surprise is not that Roma held Inter to a draw, but rather that it was Inter Milan that struggled to achieve a draw against Roma.

Throughout the entire game, before Mexes received a red card, Roma completely dominated on the field. Despite playing at home, Mancini's Inter failed to display the momentum of a Serie A leader.

The Nerazzurri appeared completely out of sorts and disoriented, as if still reeling from their defeat against Liverpool.

Former Inter captain Bergomi commented in the media after the match that losing in the Champions League dealt a massive blow to Inter Milan.

As Gao Shen had previously pointed out, Serie A was never Inter's ultimate target, much like how people don't usually consider things they already possess as objectives.

Since the beginning of this season, even after the phone call incident, Inter's sole focus has been on one thing: the Champions League.

Moratti wants to win the Champions League and fulfill one of his dreams.

In essence, the Champions League is the true goal of Inter Milan this season.

But now, that goal is as good as dead.

As a result, the media and fans have begun to notice that Mancini can no longer control the tensions within the locker room. Ibrahimovic allegedly slapped him, Vieira openly refused to shake his hand, and even kicked an entire box of drinks right in front of him. Materazzi continued to make repeated mistakes...

It seems as if, in a very short period of time, all the internal conflicts and contradictions erupted all at once.

But according to Bergomi, this was not out of nowhere.

In the past, the team had a unified goal, and everyone was working hard towards it, which helped suppress various disagreements and conflicts. But now, with that goal suddenly gone, all the issues have come bubbling to the surface.

Bergomi believes that Mancini has failed to resolve some of Inter Milan's long-standing locker room problems and has not addressed certain technical and tactical issues with the team, which has led to Inter's current struggles.

The former Inter Milan captain expressed his concerns, reminding Mancini and Inter Milan that they must defeat Napoli in the twenty-sixth round.

"If they lose this crucial match, according to Serie A rules, the tiebreaker is not goal difference but head-to-head results. In that case, Napoli will overtake Inter Milan and claim the top spot in Serie A."

"At that point, the blow to Inter Milan will be even more devastating!"

...

Bergomi's warning may have been sincere, but the Italian media seemed to have found a new scandal to capitalize on and pounced on it.

Overnight, all of Italy began to question, criticize, and even mock Inter.

"The tallest tree attracts the strongest wind."

Inter Milan is so powerful that it has virtually no competitors in Serie A. Because of this strength, they generally dominate matches, which occasionally results in referee decisions favoring Inter. This has made them controversial and, to some extent, a target for criticism.

Now, with Mancini's team suffering a Champions League knockout loss and failing to deliver on their bold pre-match claims to defeat Liverpool away, their bluster has turned into a laughingstock. Fans and media members who were previously intimidated by Inter Milan now had their chance to speak out.

And, of course, Inter Milan's recent performances have been genuinely poor.

In the game against Roma at home, Inter held only 40% of the ball, while Roma, playing away, held 60%.

Inter Milan had 12 shots, while Roma had 15. It's worth noting that Inter only managed those shots in the last ten minutes after Mexes was sent off, when they were able to attack Roma in a 10-vs-10 situation.

It shows just how much Inter Milan struggled earlier in the match.

Even Gazzetta dello Sport lamented, "Other than the number of fouls, Inter Milan held no advantage in this game."

Wondering why Inter was 10-vs-10 even after Roma had a player sent off?

This is precisely why the Italian media harshly criticized Mancini after the game.

With Roma leading after Totti's opening goal, Mancini made a series of technical and tactical blunders.

Firstly, his lineup was too conservative, as he persisted with a three-man midfield.

When Inter fell behind, his response was overly aggressive.

At halftime, he substituted Suazo for Stankovic. Shortly after the second half began, when the situation hadn't improved, he replaced Cambiasso with Balotelli. Along with starting Crespo and Figo, Inter now had four players focused on attack.

Then, four minutes after Balotelli entered, Mancini inexplicably substituted Figo for Pele.

From the 46th to the 62nd minute, Mancini used up all his substitutions almost recklessly.

What was the result of these successive substitutions?

It led to disaster.

In the 65th minute, Maxwell sprained his ankle and was forced off the field.

As a result, for the rest of the game, Inter had to play with a one-man disadvantage.

To be fair, it's not uncommon in football to lose a player to injury.

But for this to happen as early as the 65th minute, due to exhausted substitutions, is extremely rare.

Post-match, the media analyzed the situation, concluding that the current discord within Inter is not only because of their Champions League exit but also because Mancini seems completely out of his depth, making a series of inexplicable errors.

"The players have begun to lose faith in him."

La Repubblica even mocked Mancini in their paper, "No wonder he didn't even make the shortlist for the Golden Bench!"

The "Golden Bench" is Italy's award for the best coach of the season.

The Serie A Oscars, founded by the Italian Players' Union, have been around for ten years. Every summer, all Serie A players vote on the best performances from the previous season.

Napoli wasn't in Serie A last season, having been in Serie B, so they weren't eligible for this award.

But Mancini, who led Inter to a Serie A title, failed to receive a nomination—a truly embarrassing situation.

The three finalists were Fiorentina's Prandelli, AC Milan's Ancelotti, and Roma's Spalletti, with Spalletti ultimately winning the award.

While La Repubblica's mockery may have been somewhat mean-spirited, it does reflect the general perception of Mancini's abilities within Serie A.

---

After twenty-five rounds, the focus now shifts to the twenty-sixth round of Serie A, taking place in just three days.

Fans around the world are eagerly awaiting this major event.

Inter Milan, having drawn their last two games, now has only a three-point lead, while Napoli has been on a winning streak, building significant momentum.

The upcoming match between these two teams has drawn worldwide attention.

---

Gao Shen and his coaching staff have been working tirelessly in preparation.

Two of Napoli's analysts were at San Siro, observing Inter Milan's game against Roma and gathering a wealth of material and information.

Meanwhile, the scouting and analysis departments were also working at full speed, compiling intelligence for the coaching staff.

After watching the game, Gao Shen and his staff immediately began preparing for their clash with Inter, holding a meeting to discuss and strategize.

"From the game against Roma, Inter Milan exposed many issues and weaknesses, as well as the flaws in Mancini's tactics that the media have discussed, but there are also some positive aspects," Lucas began his analysis.

"Everyone should note that from the 65th minute, after Maxwell's injury, Inter's defense stabilized significantly. This shows that the team hasn't completely fallen apart; their cohesion is still strong, and the individual players are among the best in Serie A."

"This was particularly evident after the 84th minute."

Lucas then presented a new slide, summarizing his and the analysis team's findings.

"After Mexes' red card, with both teams down to ten men, Inter suddenly launched a fierce offensive, eventually scoring in the 88th minute through Zanetti. During this period, they abandoned Mancini's tactics and relied on individual skill to break down the opposition."

"This not only reflects the players' lack of trust in Mancini, but also shows that when they play freely, Inter can unleash powerful attacks."

Lucas concluded by raising a thought-provoking question: Is Mancini redundant?

The answer is obviously no.

But will Mancini apply that free, fast-paced approach in Napoli's match?

There's no doubt that Mancini is stubborn and proud, but he's certainly not foolish.

His position is now precarious, and his authority in the locker room has been significantly weakened. He desperately needs a crucial victory to regain control of both his reputation and Inter's situation.

"This goes back to what I said after watching them against Liverpool. Inter Milan's problems boil down to three words: lack of speed, lack of passing, and lack of ball control."

Gao Shen felt that Lucas' analysis reinforced his own assessment.

"In the final ten minutes against Roma, Inter finally introduced speed and simplified their approach, which allowed them to threaten on offense. However, relying solely on individual players isn't a sustainable solution and doesn't align with Mancini's style."

"The closing minutes against Roma will likely make Mancini reflect, but whether he will change his tactics and better harness the team's potential remains uncertain."

Gao Shen reiterated his earlier stance: Mancini has become Inter Milan's weakest link.

He had said it before, and he says it now.

And the facts are proving him right.

***

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