Abu Dhabi : After last year's historic achievement in the Fifa Club World Cup by FC Barcelona, it will be another giant from Europe — Italy's FC Internazionale Milano (Inter Milan) — that will be starting favourites to win the prestigious Cup as well as the hearts of fans here in Abu Dhabi.
Inter's first game will be the semi-final on December 15 against the winner of the game between Asian Club champions Seongnam Chunma and the winners of the tournament's opening match between the UAE League champions Al Wahda and Oceania champions Hekari United from Papua New Guinea.
The Italian giants, who were brilliant last season claiming a treble under the ‘Special One' Jose Mourinho, will be looking to extend Europe's domination of the Club World Cup.
Sixth title
Their Italian rivals AC Milan ended Brazil's three-year hold on the Cup by winning in 2007 with Manchester United repeating that feat in 2008 and last year Barcelona creating history by winning it here in Abu Dhabi, their sixth title of the season.
On way to winning the UEFA Champions League and booking their place in the Club World Cup, Mourinho's Inter scalped great teams like Chelsea and Barcelona before winning the final against German giants Bayern Munich.
It was one of the greatest triumphs for the club and Javier Zanetti, the Argentine who has spent 15 years with the club, will be looking to lay his hands on the Club World Cup here in Abu Dhabi.
And in place of Mourinho, who has since taken over at Real Madrid, it is Rafael Benitez who leads the side and will also be looking to make up for his failed attempt to lift the Cup with Liverpool in 2005.
"We're like one big family that's enjoying life and wants to keep on winning things, starting with the Club World Cup. Everyone's got an important role to play here and we all do our bit, no matter which country we come from," Zanetti told Fifa.com.
"As for me, well I've been here a long time and like all real Inter fans, I think I've earned the right to enjoy and savour everything we've achieved after so much suffering," he said.
Benitez said, "For all of us winning the Club World Cup is very important, it's a trophy we want to win."
