INTER MILAN WINS COPPA ITALIA

Inter Milan’s Diego Milito scored the only goal of the match to hand AS Roma a 1-0 defeat and give his team their sixth Coppa Italia championship and first under team manager Jose Mourinho.  Internazionale controlled play in a very tactical game, scoring their eventual game winner right before halftime and easily handling Roma in the second half.  This is the first of a potential three championship season for the team—they have a two point lead over Roma in Serie A play and will compete in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich later this month.

Soccer betting enthusiasts that back Inter as a +185 road choice were rewarded with a nice payout in the victory.  AS Roma had been installed as a +160 home favorite, with the regulation time draw priced at +200.  The single goal went UNDER the posted total of 2’.  Roma has won the Coppa Italia nine times and defeated Inter in the final in both 2007 and 2008, but were unable to overcome their rivals’ late season momentum this year.

Milito appeared to give Inter Milan a 1-0 lead just 17 minutes into the game after he beat Roma goaltender Julio Sergio after a perfect set up pass from Samuel Eto'o, but the goal was waved off after an offsides ruling.  Internazionale would eventually get the only goal of the game 23 minutes later when Milito scored off a pass from Thiago Motta after a botched clearing attempt by Roma.  The second half was a series of frustrations for the home team, and they would eventually go a man down when Francesco Totti received his second booking of the contest.

After the contest, manager Jose Mourinho gave full credit to his players and teased a possible return to Milan next season:

"Am I the man of the moment? No. It's Inter that is the squad of the moment. This is a team that in any case, whoever guides it, will do well," he said. "Are there any possibilities that I remain? Yes."

The always outspoken Mourinho has repeatedly and emphatically proclaimed his displeasure with the Italian football hierarchy this season, and he’s been a continuous subject of rumors that he’ll return to the English Premier League or else take the reins of Spanish La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid.  Earlier this week, however, AC Milan officials strongly rebuffed these suggestions calling Mourinho’s departure from the Nerazzurri ‘unthinkable’.  

Internazionale controls their own destiny in Serie A with two games remaining—a home game against Chievo Verona and an away tilt with Sienna.  They’ll then turn their attention to the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, which will ironically be played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium—the home pitch of Real Madrid.