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Half of everything is luck; the other half, fate.

By Ravin Sampat ⋅ March 1, 2008 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Last minute goals, dodgy penalties and winning with 10 men has defined why Inter have had the golden touch.

They say you need luck to win titles. Who’s ‘they’? Everyone really. Managers, players, commentators, pundits, coaches. Luck can come in many forms. You can be lucky and have a referee who’s slightly off the pace and ends up giving decisions for your team, that would normally seem questionable and scrutinised by the commentators and pundits alike. Alternatively you could be blessed by a oversight of the opposing team, subsequently punishing them for their failure. Luck can also be a situation whereby you are blessed with the fact you have a captain who doesn’t score often in 11 years at the club, but than when the crucial moment comes, he scores a extremely important goal.

Then we face the question of fate. Fate in football is rare, not least because in the blink of a eye, any human error can significantly change the course of a game. Was it fate that Manchester United won the treble? Or just good management by Sir Alex? Is fate when Arsenal go a whole Premier League season unbeaten? Or again, good management by Mr Wenger? Fate or shall we use the arabic term ‘maktub’, states that ‘it is written’. Liverpool’s win in the 2005 Champions League final was written. Three goals down, three goals in six second half minutes, Rafa Benitez knew that when Alonso equalised, there was only one winner. God was truly a Scouser that night.

Luck and fate, two philosophical terms more characteristic of a Paulo Coelho book. But if half of everything is luck, and the other half is fate, then looking at the Scudetto race, Internazionale have both. Everything associated with luck as described above occurred on Wednesday night as Inter came back in injury time to draw 1-1 with rivals Roma, stay 9 points clear of their capital adversaries, and significantly take a major psychological advantage on not only their fellow Serie A teams, but on the whole of Europe too. Scoring in the 93rd minute, being outplayed by a team as inconsistent as any man in a relationship, and not winning in three weeks would make any supporter gasp in shock. But, anybody that for one second thinks that Inter will not march onto another Serie A title, or will not progress against Liverpool in the rearranged Champions League tie in 10 days, should take note - Inter are the masters at getting out of jail.

In this season’s Scudetto race, numerous times Inter have won matches with 10 men, have won matches against the run of play, or deployed Gung Ho kamikaze tactics when only being slightly in a 1-0 lead, has all paid off. Unbeaten in Serie A, reaching the Coppa Italia semis, and most definitely still in the tie with Liverpool in the European Cup, Inter are a team for which this season ‘it is written’.

I’m not saying that Inter will do the treble. Neither am I saying that Inter will most definitely go and win the Scudetto. There is still 12 matches to play, and three defeats and a continuous Roma winning streak could bring the title to the Stadio Olympico. But the fact is not only do Inter have the luck and fate, but the other teams around them have the luck and fate against them. For Roma it is not written. Not least because everytime Inter slip up (few times as it has been), Roma do not seem to capitalise on this. Juventus are still realing over dodgy refereeing decisions, how ironic for them after Calciopoli. As for Milan, luck has probably fallen from Don Ancelotti and Senoir Berlusconi’s dictionaries by now, and instead Milan are like a sleeping giant that is failing to wake up.

Psychology seems to be a big part of football nowadays. In manager interviews, player quotes and situations that arise on the pitch, football is as poetic as a Edgar Allan Poe masterpiece. Inter’s ability to scrap a injury time equaliser and stay 9 points clear will be viewed as step forward towards retaining Serie A. With Phillipe Mexes sent off controversially, everything is going in the right direction for Inter. They have dubious penalties, opposition players sent off questionably, and seem to master scoring very late goals. To top it off, the very large South American contingent at the club make Internazionale not only a international club, like the meaning of its namesake, but also a large family where everybody has a role. Is there any other team in Serie A that demonstrates this?

Enjoy the rest of the Scudetto season. Its Inter’s to throw away now, no-ones to catch up. And when Tuesday 11th March arrives, be sure to keep the TV screen on until 9:47 pm, when the Champions League tie with Liverpool will be in its closing stages, because with Inter, fate and luck go hand in hand.

Arrivaderci

Top Games this weekend:

A big rivalry recommences with Juventus up against Fiorentina. Fiorentina could close the gap to within one point with the Bianconeri. Meanwhile AC Milan are at home to Lazio. With Tuesday’s game with Arsenal in mind, what Milan team will turn up? Inter face Napoli away in a tricky tie, but with no Champions League commitments till the following week, Inter will go strong. Finally, Roma face Parma at home. Spalletti realises though that Roma have one foot in the Champions League Quarter final, so players may be rested.

Tags: Inter Milan, Serie A

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