Sport | Football
Inter's Club World Cup march doubly satisfying for Benitez
Owner lauds manager's role in guiding side through to final
- By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter and Ashley Hammond, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 December 17, 2010
- Image Credit: AP
- Inter Milan’s Dejan Stankovic celebrates with his teammates after he scored against South Korean Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma during the Club World Cup semifinal.
Abu Dhabi: Rafael Benitez, who received the much-needed vote of confidence from Inter Milan boss Massimo Moratti after his team turned on the class to trounce Korea's Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 3-0 on Wednesday was back with his boys for a training session yesterday morning at the Armed Forces Officers' Club grounds.
The entire squad went through a routine of recovery exercises after a brief talk by Benitez while later in the afternoon it was confirmed that Dutch star Wesley Sneijder had suffered a second-degree muscle strain on his left hamstring.
Benitez was under pressure with a string of poor displays by Inter but goals by Dejan Stankovic, captain Javier Zanetti and Diego Milito not only came as a relief to the Spanish coach but also to Moratti, who sang the team's praises in Rome.
"The set up for the game was very good; Benitez prepared the game very well. I saw him very concentrated as were all the players," said Moratti, according to the club's website. "The game came out well, they played accurately and with attention, they showed personality" he added.
Sneijder doubtful
Inter Milan take on African club champions TP Mazembe from Congo in tomorrow's final.
Commenting on the team's winning performance, Benitez said, "We changed everything, right from the beginning because of Sneijder's injury and I fear he may have to miss the final; but the team showed their character, they respected the opponent, and they won with a touch of class".
Milito, who was back after injury and had boosted the team's confidence, played a near perfect role in the win, assisting in two goals and then rounding off the tally. "I am happier to see the team winning than myself scoring," the Argentine striker said.
"I'm really pleased with the win because the Club World Cup is extremely important to all of us. I'm also glad to be back in the team and doing my bit: first with the assists and then with my goal," Milito said.
"We've worked hard to get here and I've worked hard to get over my injury. Of course I'm not up to full match fitness yet, but I'm hungry and my head is pushing my legs on," said Milito whose brilliant back-heel pass to countryman and skipper Zanetti fetched the second goal.
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