Interesting post by Dewa over at Serie A about Inter’s lack of activity in the summer transfer market, especially considering what AC Milan did. This is what he wrote:

Last season treble winning team, Inter Milan, seems very confident with their current squad as they didn’t make any significant signings this summer aside from youngsters such as Phelipe Coutinho and Jonathan Biabiany.

However, despite the confident shown by the club’s director, Marco Branca, the Nerazzurri’s coach, Rafael Benitez, reportedly is disappointed with his team’s decision to be inactive in the transfer market.

The former Liverpool’s coach has never hide his intention to sign some players that he really wanted, however until the summer transfer window closed on August 31, Inter’s directors doesn’t seem interested in giving Benitez his requests. Many speculation from the press suggested that the Spanish tactician is very keen to reunite with some of his former employee at the Reds, notably Javier Mascherano and Dirk Kuyt.

The Nerazurri reportedly did make a late effort in trying to sign those two players, however the attempt comes up empty handed as Liverpool rejected Inter’s offer for their two players. Surely the treble winning team’s supporters will be hoping that the situation won’t make Benitez lost any interest in giving the best for the club as the coach might feel that he is not respected by the board.

Despite having most of the squad that wins the treble last season, Inter did lose a bit of their strength with the departure of their previous coach, Jose Mourinho, and also a talented player that are useful for them, Mario Balotelli. Another importan thing that the Nerazurri board should really consider is the fact that their team are actually aging as most of their important first team players have reached the 30 plus mark.

Without any important signings that could at least be a useful sub for their first team players, it would be interesting to see how would Inter take their season especially with a new coach. Surely everything now will depend a lot of Benitez’s ability to quickly find the right formula that can make his team tick in order to face tough challenges ahead both in Serie A or the Champions League.

Are you happy with the few moves that Inter made this summer? Is this team good enough to win the Serie A again?

Rafael Benitez spoke to Sky Italia after Inter’s goalless draw tonight with Bologna:

“The second half today was definitely better than the other day. Milito, Eto’o and Sneijder did better, and so did the goalkeeper…

“Milito was subbed because he was tired, and only for this reason. Not because he didn’t do well. In the second half we did everything we needed to do. It’s clear that we lack a bit of freshness, but I’m pleased with the team’s character and reaction in the second half.

“I hope we can keep improving, but everyone has to understand that if we want to have more ball possession we need more time to work. Viviano saved everything today: with his head, his hand, with everything.”

Moving on to the transfer market, Benitez was asked if Inter will sign any new players ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.

“We will see what can be done now. If not, we will wait until January to see if we can give this team more equilibrium. Inler? This is a question for Marco Branca.”

What a disappointing night. Inter returned to Serie A tonight with a 0-0 draw in Bologna. After losing to Atletico Madrid on Friday I was expecting Inter to come out and put on a good performance against Bologna. And that is what disappointed me.

Yes Inter had chances late in the second half to win the game as Bologna’s keeper Emiliano made a series of great saves, one especially from a Sniejder free-kick was brilliant.

But in the first half Bologna has several great opportunities to score themselves and Inter have to count themselves lucky that they did not go into half-time behind.

Viviano celebrated his call-up to the Italian national team with a polished performance to keep Inter at bay in Serie A’s first ever Monday night fixture.

All in all a very disappointing result. What did you think of Inter’s performance tonight?

Inter were held to a goalless draw in Bologna as they opened their defence of the Scudetto in uninspiring fashion.

Tenacious second half defending by Bologna, and some superb reflex saves from goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano, meant the champions endured a frustrating evening having dominated possession throughout.

Samuel Eto’o came closest when he hit the bar from close range, but a tremendous one-handed save by Viviano from Wesley Sneijder’s 73rd minute free-kick was the story of their night.

Failure to win isn’t the end of the world for Rafael Benitez in his first Serie A game in charge, but he certainly would have expected to begin his tenure with three points.

But Inter lacked verve in the final third and on the few occasions that the Nerazzurri did break Bologna down, they were faced with a goalkeeper showing the kind of form that has seen him called up to Italy’s national squad this week.

Both sides were restricted to half chances throughout a tight first half, during which McDonald Mariga, replacement for the injured Maicon, had Inter’s best effort but his right footed shot from inside the area flashed across the Bologna goal.

Sneijder, who was bright and lively throughout, also saw a powerful free kick fly inches over the bar from 25 yards during the dying moments of the first half.
The Dutchman’s invention saw him cause Bologna all kinds of problems with Bologna right-back, Andrea Esposito, booked for a blatant block on Sneijder when he had no other way of stopping a lightning quick counter attack.

But Bologna shaded the best of the first half chances even if they were dominated in possession, with the best opportunity falling three minutes before half time to Gimenez, who received Di Vaio’s cross from the right on his chest, let it bounce once, before firing marginally over the bar, with Julio Cesar stranded.

In another moment of indecision at the back for Inter, Lucio was almost undone when his hooked clearance on the turn fell at the feet of Henry Gimenez, who tried to lob Julio Cesar who was in no man’s land, and although the ball cleared the keeper it dropped a couple of feet over the bar.

Inter were a long way from their seamless best but managed to increase their performance level in the second half, showing the intensity and drive that was crucial to the Jose Mourinho ethic.

Eto’o, who was a constant threat wide on the left, created a couple of chances as Inter raised their game and it was his low drive from 20 yards that sparked an assault on the Bologna goal for the last 30 minutes of the game.

Inter remained methodical in their attempts to break Bologna down, but the home side managed to keep the door bolted and deserved to take a point from this game, despite a few breathless moments in the closing minutes as Inter threw the kitchen sink at their opponents.

For Bologna, they will be encouraged by an excellent defensive display against an attack that tore defences across Europe to shreds last season. But for Inter, they will have to dust off the summer cobwebs ahead of their next Serie A game with Udinese.

Inter coach Rafael Benitez  acknowledged that it would take time to change Mourinho’s coaching ways. The Spaniard tasted his first loss in a competitive fixture as boss of the Italian side when they were beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid on Friday.

“Some things we will need to do in the same way as we did before and change the way we do some other things. “It’s clear we will need some time but how long you never know. We have not had much time since the World Cup with the players. We were not at the level we needed to be against a team that was physically stronger and very good tactically.”

Speaking about Inter’s Champions League group, this is what he had to say.

“It’s a really difficult group.There is not a big difference between the teams and that can be dangerous. This will be very tough.”

After being voted the UEFA European player of the season on Thursday, a lot was expected from Diego Milito on Friday when Champions League winners Inter Milan took on Europa League winners Atletico Madrid for the Super Cup trophy.

The Argentine was the hero 3 months ago when he scored both goals in Inter’s 2-0 victory over German side Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. Milito however failed to provide the form that saw Maradona add him as a last minute inclusion in his World Cup squad yesterday leaving many asking whether the Italian side will be as dominant as they were  last season.

Benitez fielded a similar Inter squad that featured in the Champions League final and the one largely responsible for ruthlessly demolishing fellow Serie A clubs in the run up to their historic treble trophy success.

That did not seem to work as the Nerazzurri missed chances that could have otherwise changed the course of the entire match. Inter provided the first real threat of the game with only a few seconds into the match when Dutch play maker Wesley Sneijder volleyed the ball over the cross bar after a throw in from Maicon.

The trend continued in the 29th minute when Eto’o headed Sneidjer’s corner over the cross bar. The Cameroonian was not finished as 3 minutes later, he fired a shot wide after skipping past Atletico’s defense.

Both teams went into the break goalless and at that point, the match was anyone’s to win. The second half however proved to be a different affair as the Italians were punished for their missed chances after Jose Antonio Reyes struck in the 63rd minute to open up the game.

20 minutes later Aguero sealed their victory with the simplest of tap ins after Simao played him into the 6 yard box. Milito had the chance to restore Inter’s Pride but his penalty was saved by Atletico’s keeper in the last minute of regular time.

Inter’s loss only fires them up for their opening Serie A tie against Bologna on Monday.

Photo credit: from Gilyo

Inter Milan achieved a clean sweep of the 2010 UEFA Club Football Awards in Monaco, the first time such a feat has been achieved since the awards’ inception in 1998.

Diego Milito, who scored both goals in Inter’s 2-0 UEFA Champions League final defeat of FC Bayern Munich in Madrid in May, secured the overall prize as UEFA Club Footballer of the Year, voted for, like all these accolades, by the coaches of the teams that reached the round of 16 last season. The 12 nominees for the four positional awards were all eligible for the main honour.

Milito was also named UEFA Club Attacker of the Year, emulating the double claimed by Ronaldo for Inter in 1998, after beating off fellow nominees Lionel Messi – who lifted both prizes in 2009 – and Wayne Rooney.

Inter playmaker Wesley Sneijder took the plaudits as UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year, for which his Netherlands colleague Arjen Robben and Xavi Hernández were also nominated.

Full-back Maicon was voted the UEFA Club Defender of the Year, a category in which his Nerazzurri team-mate Lúcio was a nominee along with Gerard Piqué.

And Júlio César completed the Inter clean sweep, getting the nod as UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year ahead of Hugo Lloris and Víctor Valdés.

The Champions League draw was made today and Inter were drawn against Werder Bremen, Tottenham Hotspur and FC Twente. Not the easiest group, but a group that Inter has to feel confident of topping.

Here is a look at Inter’s opponents:

Werder Bremen
Stadium: Weserstadion (42,358)
Werder Bremen qualified for the Champions League by beating Sampdoria in their play-off match. The German outfit finished third in the Bundesliga last season. Their coach Thomas Schaat spent his entire playing career with the club and coached their U-17, U-19 and Reserve teams before becoming manager in 1999.

FC Twente
Stadium: Grolsch Fortress (24,000)
This will be the first time FC Twente have competed in the Champions League Group Stage. In 2008 Arsenal defeated the Dutch outfit 6-0 on aggregate in the third qualifying round of the competition.

Tottenham Hotspur
Stadium: White Hart Lane (36,310)
This will be the first appearance for Tottenham, who beat Young Boys 4-0 yesterday, in the Champions League.

Champions League
14 September: FC Twente v Inter Milan 
29 September: Inter Milan v Werder Bremen - Buy Inter Milan v Werder Bremen Tickets
20 October: Inter Milan v Tottenham Hotspur - Buy Inter Milan v Spurs Tickets
2 November: Spurs v Inter Milan - Buy Spurs v Inter Milan Tickets
24 Nov: FC Twente  v Inter Milan - Buy Werder Bremen v Spurs Tickets
Dec 7: Werder Bremen v Inter Milan - Buy Werder Bremen v Inter Milan Tickets

As expected Inter Milan will be a first seed in Thursday’s Champions League draw in Monaco. That means that we come up against Jose Mourinho in the group stages. A perfect draw, from an opponents and travel standpoint, would be Werder Bremen, Rangers and Auxurre.

Here are the seedings:

Midfielder Thiago Motta will miss the start of Inter’s season after undergoing keyhole surgery in the U.S. yesterday to fix a persistent knee problem.

Motta should recover in time for the start of the UEFA Champions League group stage on 14 and 15 September, but will miss Friday’s UEFA Super Cup game in Monaco and the Serie A game against Bologna FC on 30 August.