Inter boss demands title

Inter coach Roberto Mancini said on Saturday that his side should be granted last season's Italian League title which was initially won by Juventus.<br>

كتب : Amro Hassan

السبت، 15 يوليه 2006 - 20:26
Inter coach Roberto Mancini said on Saturday that his side should be granted last season's Italian League title which was initially won by Juventus.

Juventus were found guilty for sports fraud in the Calciopoli Italian scandal that saw the club stripped of the two Scudetto titles they won in 2004 and 2005 besides getting relegated to Serie B alongside Lazio and Fiorentina.

"I think that last season's title should go to Inter, as for the 2004 title, it's not right that it goes to anyone," Mancini told Inter.it on Saturday.

"I'm not asking for it to celebrate a title we didn't win, but in every sport if a team wins unfairly, the trophy should go to the team that came behind them playing fairly."

Inter finished the past two seasons in third place behind Juventus and AC Milan. With 44 points deducted from Milan last season's account, Inter might well be considered last year's champions.

Mancini was criticized as Inter put on a mediocre display in the first season he took charge but winning the Italian Cup title and getting support from owner Massimo Moratti kept him the job.

The tense between the fans and Mancini escalated last season as Inter lost hope in the Scudetto title and were eliminated from the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League at the hands of debutants Villarreal.

After losing to Villarreal, Inter players and coach were handed a hostile reception in Milan and Mancini said then he will quit in the end of the season and coach outside Italy.

Mancini added that he was disappointed with the whole scandal as it involves four of the biggest clubs in Europe.

"It was very sad to read about the whole issue day after day, but in the end the laws are equal for everybody," Mancini added.

The Italian court is expected to make a decision on the fate of the League titles in the next few days, with a possibility that the titles could be declared void and not awarded to any club.