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2008-05-24 - AS Roma vs Inter Milan
A Sports Betting Pick by Mario
Coppa Italia Final
Saturday 24th May 2008 - KO 20:00 GMT
Inter & Roma Renew Annual Cup Clash
Serie A betting may be over for another season, but there is one piece of Italian soccer silverware still up for grabs.
The format of this year’s Coppa Italia may have changed, with a single game final, replacing the traditional two-legged affair, but the contenders remain the same.
For the fourth consecutive season, Roma and Inter Milan do battle for the Italian Cup as the two sides have developed a monopoly on the Coppa Italia.
Things are however a bit different this time around.
The competition only included the 42 teams of Serie A and B, not the third tier of Italian football, and the final is a single game rather than the traditional, if unusual, two leg affair.
Crucially the final takes place at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, which is also Roma’s home ground, handing them an important territorial bonus, reflected in the betting which has Roma as favourites to lift the trophy – a market priced to less than 102%.
The two sides have vied all season for the Scudetto, which went down to the final day of the season, when Inter’s 2-0 victory at Parma gave them the title.
Both goals came from Zlatan Ibrahimovic who came off the bench to effectively secure the title, and hand the Nerazzurri a huge psychological advantage going into this game.
Though the odds were always against Roma catching their rivals, they managed to close an 11 point gap to just one, before falling short on the final day.
Roma coach, Luciano Spalletti, now has the difficult task of lifting the heads of his side, following the disappointing draw at Catania on the final day of the campaign, which given Inter’s win was academic.
The Giallorossi are the defending champions, having won the trophy last year by an aggregate of 7-4, winning 6-2 in the capital, but the reduction of the final to just a single game will inevitably change the nature of the game.
After his dramatic introduction at Parma, Ibrahimovic is likely to start up front, giving Inter the attacking threat they have missed during the Swede’s absence.
Roma will be without talismanic captain, Francesco Totti, recovering from surgery, instead relying on the goals of Montenegran, Mirko Vucinic.
LAST THREE FINALS
2005 Inter beat Roma 3-0 on agg. 2-0 / 1-0
2006 Inter beat Roma 4-2 on agg. 1-1 / 3-1
2007 Roma beat Inter 7-4 on agg. 6-2 / 1-2
TEAM NEWS
And here is the news I was expecting :
Inter Milan
Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will play no part in tomorrow night's Coppa Italia Final against Roma.
The 26-year-old striker was rushed back from injury last weekend to devastating effect, scoring the two goals which secured the Nerazzurri's 16th Scudetto. Ibrahimovic has been indispensable to Inter this season, netting 17 times and setting up countless others.
The former Ajax and Juventus forward has had trouble with his left knee since late February and was advised to have surgery.
Mindful of this summer's European Championship, however, the Swedish star will not play and follow a strict programme of physiotherapy.
The Nerazzurri will also be without defender Nelson Rivas who twisted his ankle in training. The Colombian has been beset by injuries all season and has only made six starting appearances.
Roberto Mancini can add the 25-year-old to a long injury list, which includes Esteban Cambiasso, Walter Samuel, Ivan Cordoba and Olivier Dacourt.
Cristian Chivu is back though, and will make the trip to former club Roma.
THE VERDICT
I needed to see how Inter were treating this game - and it seems that they are satisfied with the Scudetto title this season.
Roma will want to win this game much more, especially in front of their own fans - and I will back Roma to win.
The Pick :
AS Roma 2-0 Inter Milan
