One-match ban for Cambiasso after Giovinco foul

Apr 1, 2013 11:40:00 AM

The experienced midfielder will be forced to serve a single-game suspension following his red card in the Derby d’Italia

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Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni will have to make do without the services of Esteban Cambiasso in the upcoming Serie A match against Sampdoria, as the midfielder has been handed a one-match ban following his dismissal against Juventus at the weekend.

The Argentine midfielder was shown a straight red card in the closing stages of Saturday’s 2-1 loss after a reckless tackle on Sebastian Giovinco, and has now been suspended for one Serie A game as a result.

The Nerazzurri initially feared that Cambiasso would be handed a severe ban following his late lunge on the Italian, but the 32-year-old will miss just the one game versus Sampdoria.

Cambiasso entered the Juventus dressing room immediately after the final whistle to apologise to Giovinco and enquire after his injury.

The attacker missed Sunday morning’s training session as a result of the tackle, but has been included in Juventus’ match squad for the Champions League game against Bayern Munich.

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Serie A Team of the Week: Dzemaili is Napoli's magic man

Goal.com runs through the best performers from the Easter action in Italy’s top flight

For the first time this season, every Serie A club was in action on the same day on Easter Saturday, and the 10 fixtures provided plenty of food for thought for our panel selecting the Goal.com Team of the Week for Round 30.

Gianluca Pegolo earned a second successive call-up at No.1, with his performance between the posts earning Siena a point from their crucial relegation clash with Genoa.

Juventus gained revenge for their previous defeat to Inter in the afternoon’s big clash, and Andrea Barzagli led them with great authority at the back. Luca Rossettini is chosen alongside him after impressing in the Cagliari side which saw off fourth-placed Fiorentina, and Davide Astori adds a second Rossoblu name to the defensive line.

The ever-impressive Andrea Pirlo was on form again in Juve’s 2-1 win at San Siro, while his Italy team-mate Riccardo Montolivo was Milan’s matchwinner at Chievo. Josip Ilicic led Palermo to a surprise win over Roma which gives them hope of surviving the drop, but the star of the round was Blerim Dzemaili, who hit a hat-trick in Napoli’s all-action 5-3 win at Torino.

Fabio Quagliarella‘s blockbusting third-minute goal teed up Juve’s key win, while two-goal Mauricio Pinilla ensured Cagliari accounted for Fiorentina. Finally, Edinson Cavani came off the bench to hit the two goals which saw Napoli eventually see off Torino in the weekend’s stand-out game.

Mourinho aiming to equal Sir Alex Ferguson's record of seven semi-finals in the Champions League

The Portuguese coach has reached the last four on six previous occasions, and can draw level with the Manchester United boss if his Real Madrid side get past Galatasaray this time

ANALYSIS
By Ben Hayward | Spanish Football Writer

Jose Mourinho will draw level with Sir Alex Ferguson on seven semi-final appearances in the Champions League if his Real Madrid side get past Galatasaray in their forthcoming last-eight tie.

Mourinho led Madrid to the last four of Europe’s premier club competition in each of his first two seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu, and his team will be big favourites to advance for a third time in a row. Real host Galatasary on Wednesday before travelling to Istanbul for the return leg next Tuesday.

MOST SEMI-FINAL APPEARANCES IN THE EUROPEAN CUP/CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
CoachSir Alex Ferguson
(Manchester United)

Jose Mourinho (Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Madrid)

Marcello Lippi
(Juventus)

Miguel Munoz
(Real Madrid)

Louis van Gaal
(Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern)

Carlo Ancelotti
(AC Milan)

Vicente del Bosque
(Real Madrid)

Pep Guardiola
(Barcelona)

Helenio Herrera
(Inter)

Ottmar Hitzfeld
(Dortmund, Bayern Munich)

Giovanni Trapattoni
(Juventus, Bayern)

No. of SFs

7 ’97, ’99, ’02, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’11

6- ’04, ’05, ’07, ’10, ’11, ’12

5 – 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003

5 – 1960, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1973

5 – 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2010

4 – 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007

4 – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003

4 – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

4 – 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967

4 – 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001

4 – 1978, 1983, 1985, 1995

Madrid are still aiming for their 10th trophy – La Decima – in the history of the European Cup and the Champions League, while Mourinho has admitted he hopes to become the first coach to win the coveted crown with three different clubs.

The Portuguese made his Champions League debut in 2001-02, when he took over midway through the season at Porto, but won the competition in his first full tilt at the title, in 2003-04 (having won the Uefa Cup in 2002-03).

That turned out to be his only Champions League semi-final appearance at Porto as he moved on to Chelsea that summer. And he took the Blues to the cusp of European glory, losing out at the semi-final stage in both 2005 and 2007. On each occasion it was Liverpool who got the better of his side, with the Reds benefiting from Luis Garcia’s ‘phantom’ goal on the way to the trophy in 2005 and then advancing on a penalty shootout two years later.

Mourinho left Chelsea shortly into the following season and did not return until the next campaign, when he agreed to coach Inter. His first season in Milan ended with a Serie A title, but disappointment in Europe as the Nerazzurri exited to Manchester United in the last 16. However, the Portuguese led the Italians to treble glory in 2009-10, as they claimed the Scudetto, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League – Inter’s first success in Europe’s premier club competition since 1965.

That was Mourinho’s second Champions League victory and his fourth semi-final in the competition. With two more since added, he can now equal Ferguson with seven last-four appearances.

All of Ferguson’s semi-final showings have come in his remarkable 26-year tenure at Manchester United. The 71-year-old Scot has led the English side to two Champions League wins, as well as two further final appearances (both lost to Barcelona). Defeats in his other three semi-finals (in 1996-97, 2001-02 and 2006-07) also all came against the competition’s eventual winners – Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and AC Milan, respectively.

Mourinho, meanwhile, lost his last two semi-finals against Barcelona (in 2010-11) and Bayern Munich (last season). Either of those two teams could await in the last four this time around.

And should he have got that far, he will have equalled Ferguson’s record for last-four appearances in the competition, having already overtaken a string of illustrious coaches. And given he is over 20 years younger than the Manchester United boss, Mourinho is probably just getting started.

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Moratti: Inter deserved a point

The Nerazzurri chief believes his team had done enough over the course of the 90 minutes to earn a draw against the reigning champions

Inter president Massimo Moratti says Juventus were fortunate to leave San Siro with maximum points following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to the league leaders.

Alessandro Matri proved to be the difference between the two teams by netting the decisive winner and, speaking to the club’s official website, the president says his team’s performance warranted at least a point.

“The team played well. The game ended the way it did because things didn’t go well for us but the team were in it in the second half,” he said.

“The first half was kind of the usual … though having said that neither side did all that much to be honest. The second half was great to watch and a draw would definitely have been more appropriate. It’s a shame.”

The 67-year-old also refused to be drawn into imagining what might have been following a number of rejected penalty appeals.

He added: “Penalties? There was definitely one on Cassano but they didn’t give it so there’s no point standing around complaining about it.”

The defeat leaves Inter’s slim aspirations of returning to the Champions League in tatters following Milan’s 1-0 victory over Chievo, a result which consolidates their position in third place and extends their lead to 10 points over their neighbours.

Moratti’s team have a rescheduled match with Sampdoria to play on Wednesday after the original fixture was postponed because of inclement weather.

Zanetti: What is the point in extra officials?

The Argentine is unhappy after the Nerazzurri were denied a spot-kick following a tackle on Esteban Cambiasso on Saturday

Javier Zanetti has revealed his frustration at the use of additional officials after Inter were denied what he perceived to be a clear penalty against Juventus.

Esteban Cambiasso went to ground in the penalty area in the second half on Saturday afternoon, in their 2-1 defeat at San Siro, but referee Nicola Rizzoli dismissed the protests of the home side.

Zanetti slammed the official behind Gianluigi Buffon’s goalmouth but praised his side for showing heart in pushing Antonio Conte’s men all the way until the final whistle.

“There were things that we saw differently but he decided otherwise,” the Argentine told the club’s official news channel after the game. “It looked like a clear penalty on Cassano in the second half. “The goal-line ref was put there to help out in situations like this. If he doesn’t do that then there’s not much point.

“It was a good performance in the end. We’re disappointed to lose because they scored their second when we were having our best spell.

“We threw the kitchen sink at them trying to find an equaliser but we just couldn’t get it despite creating some great chances. It’s a shame but at least we can take heart from the performance that we produced against a great team like Juventus.”

Goals from Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri secured an away win for the Bianconeri, despite Rodrigo Palacio’s equaliser just after half-time.

But the main talking point after the match was Cambiasso’s red card for an awful challenge on Sebastian Giovinco in stoppage time – a tackle which Zanetti was quick to condemn.

“It was just a nasty foul, he made a late challenge,” the Argentine said of his compatriot. “It’s the first time he’s been sent off in his career, though.

“I heard that somebody on TV said he deserves a five-match ban. Let’s not blow it out of proportion, come on.”

The Nerazzurri’s latest defeat saw them drop to seventh in Serie A, and though their Champions League qualification hopes are dwindling, Zanetti is confident that if they win crucial clashes in the next two months a top three spot is still possible.

“We need to find the strength to do as best as possible in the remaining games, find the strength to put in a good performance in Genoa like we did today against a top team like Juventus,” the Inter skipper continued.

“Third place [is possible] as we still have a few six-pointers to play and a game in hand. Let’s see what happens between now and the end of the season.”