By Mark Meadows
MILAN, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Jose Mourinho’s arrival as Inter
coach and AC Milan buying Ronaldinho should add extra flair to
Serie A this season and prompt a more exciting title race.
Inter won their third straight scudetto with a pedestrian
season only coming to life in the final weeks when they
contrived to throw away an 11-point lead before edging AS Roma
to the championship on the last day.
Coach Roberto Mancini paid the price for Inter’s stuttering
finish and was sacked by club president Massimo Moratti.
Mancini’s outburst in March when he said he was quitting,
before changing his mind, was another factor in the dismissal,
as was Moratti’s eagerness to work with the charismatic
Mourinho.
The Portuguese had been linked with Inter ever since he left
Chelsea last September so he had plenty of time to hone his
plans ahead of the season starting this weekend.
“My Inter will play better than the opposition and win 3-0,”
Mourinho said when predicting the outcome of each league match.
“This is a great group of players, an exceptional group.”
However, Mourinho is fully aware the squad is ageing with
winger Luis Figo, 35, well past his best.
Mourinho’s pursuit of Frank Lampard, with whom he won two
Premier League titles at Chelsea, showed he wanted big
reinforcements and the England player’s decision to stay in
London leaves Inter short of inspiration in midfield.
Brazilian winger Mancini has arrived from Roma but
Mourinho’s favoured three-pronged attack will not look complete
unless Inter can prise target Ricardo Quaresma from Porto.
LIMPED HOME
Milan did finally bag their number one target after months
of talks with Barcelona but Ronaldinho has work to do if he can
restore his reputation as one of the game’s great entertainers.
He went badly off the boil in his last two seasons at Barca
and Milan need the Brazilian to quickly rediscover his best form
after they limped home fifth in May.
An ageing defence and lack of a world class goalkeeper
hampered Carlo Ancelotti’s side and could do again.
Milan last won Serie A in 2004 and their attack will have to
carry the whole team if they are to mount a serious title tilt.
Playmaker Kaka was below par last season after suffering
knee trouble and though his injury problems are not over, fans
have high hopes for his partnership with Ronaldinho.
Andriy Shevchenko’s return to the San Siro after a torrid
two-year spell at Chelsea has also enthused Rossoneri supporters
but they know the Ukraine striker is not the player he once was.
Juventus did well to finish third in their first season back
in Serie A since their 2006 match-fixing demotion.
The 23 million euro ($34 million) purchase of Palermo
striker Amauri puts Claudio Ranieri’s side in the title running.
Fiorentina have also spent big, with former AC Milan striker
Alberto Gilardino one of a raft of new signings. They will hope
to at least repeat last season’s fourth place.
Roma failed to persuade Fiorentina to sell skilful forward
Adrian Mutu and could struggle having sold Mancini to Inter.
Napoli are the best outside bet for a Champions League spot
after shrewd buys, including Sampdoria winger Christian Maggio.
Samp will miss Maggio but the permanent transfer of Antonio
Cassano from Real Madrid means the crowd will stay entertained.
(Editing by Rex Gowar)