The theme at the heart of Sampdoria and Inter’s match-up this weekend is contrast. Blucerchiati Coach Walter Mazzarri is expected to field an all-Italian line-up, while his opposite number Jose Mourinho is unlikely to endear himself to FIFA President Sepp Blatter by attempting to counteract the Genoa based outfit with an all-foreign XI.

Some have dubbed Sunday’s game at Marassi a conflict between tradition and modernity, but Samp’s “made in Italy” stamp doesn’t necessarily mean they are less forward thinking than Inter as their performances last season proved. Doria frontman Antonio Cassano was a real handful in 2007-08 and could be the undoing of Inter’s backline, which will be without Nicolas Burdisso who was injured in the Nerazzurri’s Italian Super Cup victory at the weekend.

Unfortunately for Samp, new signing Daniele Dessena is a doubt ahead of Inter’s visit as is Emiliano Bonazzoli. That leaves Mazzarri with fewer options in the final third, making Mourinho’s first game in Serie A a little easier. Not that the Portuguese is fazed by his debut in Italy’s top flight.

Mourinho’s arrogant genius has divided Italy, but united Inter, which is a relief to all those Nerazzurri supporters who were dismayed at the backstabbing that nearly cost them the title in 2007-08. Many felt the team could have gone a lot further in the Champions League and dominated Serie A with a more self-assured tactician on the bench.

Mourinho already appears to have made Inter stronger, at least psychologically, than last term. He picked up his first piece of silverware as Inter boss on Sunday, yet it’s clear there is still work to do before his Nerazzurri emulates that of Helenio Herrera.

While Inter performed well against Roma question marks remain over the effectiveness of their widemen. Luis Figo and Amantino Mancini failed to make an impact in the Super Cup and were substituted after 66 and 70 minutes respectively. At the back, Mourinho no sooner recovers one defender then another gets injured, giving Samp confidence that a point or three is more than attainable at their first day back at school.

Keep an eye on: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter) – Fit or unfit, the 26-year-old Swede is Inter’s most important player on and off the pitch. When Ibra isn’t around, Inter rarely turn up, it’s as simple as that. He gives the team confidence and has helped the club shake off its image as loveable losers and acquire that of world-beaters.

Last season: Sampdoria 1-1 Inter

Form guide: Sampdoria (- - - - -) Inter (- - - - -)

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Sampdoria (probable): Castellazzi; Accardi, Lucchini, Campagnaro; Pieri, Dessena, Palombo, Sammarco, Stankevicius; Cassano, Fornaroli

Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Maxwell, Chivu, Rivas, Maicon; Cambiasso, Zanetti; Mancini, Muntari, Figo; Ibrahimovic

Ref: To follow…

definatly it wont be an easy one
Sampdoria at Ferraris has never been an easy opponent
but from what i've seen in the super coppa match , we r ready 4 the start of the season but i hope someone in the defence can come back from injury 2 help in this defensive injury crisis , all our defenders got injured damn even Burdisso did.
If we can have Matrix back in this one or Chivu it will be great.

Sampdoria have a good chance to win I hope they can do it !!! Inter has a problem in defence. I hope Materazzi & Chivu could miss the match

José Mourinho's squad for Sampdoria v Inter

APPIANO GENTILE - José Mourinho's 20-players squad for Saturday's Serie A Week 1 match against Sampdoria (Stadio Luigi Ferraris, kick-off 20:30):

Goalkeepers: 1 Francesco Toldo, 12 Julio Cesar, 22 Paolo Orlandoni.

Defenders: 2 Ivan Ramiro Cordoba, 4 Javier Zanetti, 6 Maxwell, 13 Maicon, 23 Marco Materazzi.

Midfielders: 5 Dejan Stankovic, 7 Luis Figo, 11 Luis Jimenez, 15 Olivier Dacourt, 19 Esteban Cambiasso, 20 Muntari, 33 Amantino Mancini, 36 Francesco Bolzoni.

Strikers: 8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 9 Julio Ricardo Cruz, 18 Hernan Crespo, 45 Mario Balotelli.

Jose names nine for Samp

Friday 29 August, 2008

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Jose Mourinho has hinted that he expects Inter to sign Ricardo Quaresma and has named nine of his 11 players to face Sampdoria tomorrow.

The Portuguese tactician was first asked about rumours that the Nerazzurri had agreed a deal with Porto for forward Quaresma.

“I don't want to tell any lies,” he said. “At the moment Quaresma is a Porto player and Pelè is ours.

“But I won't be selecting Pelè against Sampdoria because it could be that he is transferred today or tomorrow. However, there is no agreement at the moment.

“It's no secret that I wanted Lampard, but I couldn't be happier with Sulley Muntari.

“I have absolutely forgotten Lampard. I wanted two wingers and a middle player with different characteristics to the men I had. I have total faith in the rest of the unit.

“Up front we will stay with Hernan Crespo, Julio Cruz, Adriano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Mario Balotelli as a second striker or a winger.

“Luis Figo and Amantino Mancini are on the wing and Quaresma too, if he arrives. If he doesn't come then I will have to work hard with Luis Jimenez so that he can play that role.”

Mourinho then paid tribute to his players for their resilient attitude in the face of an injury crisis.

“It's a question of mentality,” he said. “Even Cristian Chivu has told me that he will be ready for next week, which is ahead of schedule.

“Nelson Rivas is injured as he was before the Roma game but there are no alternatives and that's why he told me he would play against the Giallorossi - he played and we won.

“I think Ibrahimovic could play every day because he wants to play in spite of his fitness problems.

“I'll give you an example - against Roma I had warned the team to treat every ball that John Arne Riise played as a cross and after 45 minutes I saw Ibra in our box heading the ball clear - that's desire and that is my Inter.

“He also wants to play for Sweden and I respect the Swedish Coach. He respects me too, which is why he has protected Ibra in friendlies. I never say that my players can't play for their countries and I never will.”

Inter will have to be careful of Antonio Cassano, who is an inspirational figure for Sampdoria.

“He is a great player,” the Special One admitted. “I have studied him and have thought about him this week.

“Samp have done very well over the last year and have only lost twice at home but we still aim to win.”

When asked about team selection, Mourinho willingly named nine of his 11 starters for tomorrow's Serie A opener.

“It will be Julio Cesar, Douglas Maicon, Esteban Cambiasso, Marco Materazzi, Maxwell, Dejan Stankovic, Muntari, Javier Zanetti, Ibrahimovic and two others,” he revealed.

Inter's Scudetto defence begins against Samp at Marassi at 7.30 pm tomorrow evening.

so Mourinho named 9 of the startin 11 n the 2 other players missin r the wingers n i expect they will be Mancini n Balotelli.

........................ Julio Cesar ........................
Maicon .... Cambiasso .. Materazzi .... Maxwell
....... Zanetti ...... Stankovic ... Muntari .........
Balotelli .......................................... Mancini
................... Zlatan Ibrahimovic ..................

this is gonna be 2morrow's startin line up n formation accordin 2 Jose Mourinho except for the 2 wingers , i predicted them.

Cambaisso a CB ?

actually it was Burdisso that grabbed the headlights during pre season, i remember Mourinho was particularly impressed with his performances.

1-1

Serie A Week 1 - 30/8/08 (19.30 UK)

Sampdoria 1 - 1 Inter

Ibrahimovic 34 (I), Delvecchio 68 (S)

Stadio Ferraris

Gennaro Delvecchio's goal gave Jose Mourinho's Inter a rude awakening as the title holders were held 1-1 at Marassi.
Jose Mourinho already won his official debut with a shoot-out Italian Super Cup victory over Roma, but now he faced Antonio Cassano's Samp at Marassi in the first Serie A game of his career. Both sides were missing important players, as the Nerazzurri had to reshuffle their defence with Nicolas Burdisso joining Cristian Chivu, Nelson Rivas and Walter Samuel on the sidelines, but Marco Materazzi returned after a month out. Claudio Bellucci, Emiliano Bonazzoli and goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi missed out for Sampdoria.

Cassano's first shot sailed over the bar from outside the box and a Daniele Gastaldello header was not far off target. Julio Cesar smothered a Paolo Sammarco turn and Daniele Franceschini flashed a shot across the face of goal.

Amantino Mancini had the first real Inter chance after 23 minutes, but under-hit his lob. Salvatore Accardi did well to close down a Zlatan Ibrahimovic counter.

It was Ibra who gave the Nerazzurri the lead with a well-worked move. He combined with Mancini, running on to a flicked pass over the defence to chest down and place a scuffed but precise angled right-foot drive in off the inside of the far post. There were some Sampdoria protests for a possible handling offence by the Swede.

Esteban Cambiasso is growing in his makeshift central defensive role and cleared a dangerous Marius Stankevicius header. Angelo Palombo curled a free kick wide of the near post on the stroke of half-time.

Straight after the restart a wonderful team move from Sampdoria made of six first-time flicks between three players was finally closed down by Materazzi with Cassano clear on goal.

Antonio Mirante held a Sulley Ali Muntari snapshot and Dejan Stankovic effort, but Ibrahimovic wasted a good chance by ballooning over.

Sampdoria were furious on the hour mark, as they felt Javier Zanetti used his arm to block a header from a corner kick, but the referee waved away the penalty appeals. As the move continued, Padalino went for glory when Cassano was unmarked.

Zanetti cleared a dangerous Cassano cross and substitute Mario Balotelli's counter was charged down, as it became end-to-end stuff at the Stadio Ferraris.

A goal was in the air and it came for Sampdoria. Padalino's cross for Franceschini would've gone in had Douglas Maicon not kicked it off his head, but the Gennaro Delvecchio was quickest to react and netted from the outside of his boot from six yards.

Cassano had a golden opportunity to put Samp ahead with a classic counter as a long ball over the top found him against just two defenders, but his first touch let him down!

Mourinho completed his substitutions with Hernan Crespo and Luis Jimenez replacing Figo and Muntari for a very attacking line-up. Stankovic's header from a corner was straight at Mirante, but Jimenez had to be a makeshift defender on Padalino at the other end.

There was the sense in the last 15 minutes that either team could easily score. Balotelli's free kick from 33 metres whistled wide, but on 86 minutes a screamer from Palombo nearly propelled Julio Cesar back into his net!

On the counter-attack, Jimenez's diving header from six yards turned a chipped Ibrahimovic cross over the bar. Cassano went on a mazy run and was eventually stopped after riding the third tackle and Ibrahimovic felt he was unfairly halted by the referee when running on goal in stoppages.


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Sampdoria: Mirante; Campagnaro (Lucchini 78), Gastaldello, Accardi; Stankevicius (Padalino 57), Sammarco, Palombo, Franceschini, Pieri; Delvecchio (Dessena 85); Cassano

Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cambiasso, Materazzi, Maxwell; Zanetti, Stankovic, Muntari (Crespo 71); Figo (Jimenez 71), Ibrahimovic, Mancini (Balotelli 64)

Ref: Rosetti

well definatly not the ideal start of the season as we Interistas were hungry for a win but we have 2 admitt it was a very hard game n yet the team looked good n gave a solid performance plus we were sufferin not less than 5 or 6 major absences so it was a fair result.

Sampa is one of the most difficult team to face in Ferraris so a draw was on the cards but our performance isn't worryin and of course we can all remember that last season's start 4 Inter was even worse havin a draw with Udinese in San Siro and we still managed 2 finish on top.

only Luis Figo looked weaker than the rest of the group n i think startin Figo is a big mistake while havin Balotelli on the bench , Mourinho also was wrong to take out Mancini b4 Figo inorder 2 bring in Balotelli n that was also a bit late cause he should have threw Balotelli earlier.
Quaresma must arrive at Inter cause i dont see Figo as a useful option at all n this is his 2nd start of the season after the supper coppa match n yet with nothin 2 mention except that he is the fastest man in black n blue to lose the ball.

It was good 2 see Matrix back n after the break we will definatly have back Chivu , Cordoba n Samuel which will be great news n not 2 forget Adriano n Vieira as weel who r workin their way back.

Zlatan was great as usual n his wonderful goal was about 2 bag us 3 points