An average champion, Inter Milan

It’s rare that a season where a team wins their domestic title can be considered average, but such is the case for Inter as they missed out on Champions League glory.

Jose Mourinho was brought to the club because President Massimo Moratti considered him the best candidate to realize Inter's European dream.

The "Special One" led the Nerazzurri to title in his debut season. However, Moratti and the fans can hardly be satisfied with a season when Inter were knocked out at the last 16 by Manchester United in UEFA Champions League.

Mourinho's predecessor, Roberto Mancini, who won two Coppa Italia (2005 and 2006) and three Scudetti (05–06, 06–07 and 07-08), was sacked due to his failure to replicate his domestic successes with Inter at the European level. Yet it seems that Mourinho has a long way to go to justify his preferment at Mancini's expense.

Despite a draw with Sampdoria at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in their opening match of the campaign, the defending champion's starting run was promising, beating Catania, Turin and Lecce in succession.

The Nerazzurri lost to their struggling city-rivals Milan through Ronaldinho's header in the 5th round. But the defeat decided Mourinho to change the formation of the team from 4-3-3 to 4-3-1-2, an adjustment that brought a glorious thirteen-match unbeaten run until nearly the midway point of the season.

A rejuvenated Ronaldinho threatens to throw Inter off course.

Losing to Atalanta 1:3 was merely a slip. Inter were winter “champions” with a six-point lead over the Bianconeri.

Serie A was truly over when the Nerazzurri took revenge on their cousins in Week 24. With the aid of Adriano's arm, the San Siro was packed for a 2-1 win in Inter’s favour. Subsequently the defending champions encountered little in the way of a challenge on their way towards the Scudetti. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and company never allowed anyone to catch up.

The now-departed Adriano sees Inter past Milan in controversial circumstances.

Inter finally clinched the championship on May 16 when Milan lost at Udinese, giving them a 7-point lead with two rounds left. This brought the satisfaction of a fourth consecutive Scudetto to the Inter faithful.

Inter's hard work, persistence, aspiration, innovation, and strength can't be doubted. But they are an average champion because of the lack of weighty rivals – Milan too old, Juve short of talent.

Inter have the best squad in Serie A, but when that same set of players play in Europe, they look little better than average overall. That's why Barcelona and Manchester United went on to contest this season's Champions League final, reaffirming their status as European heavyweights, while Inter were left struggling to realize their European dreams.

(China.org.cn by Xiang Bin, June 8, 2009)