Mighty Milito, King of Europe
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, May 22, 2010
[UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Once again, an Argentine forward was the dominant figure of the European season. But this time, it wasn't Lionel Messi.
Two and a half weeks after his goal gave Inter Milan the Coppa Italia title and less than a week after he scored the goal
that clinched Inter's fifth straight Italian league title, Diego Milito led the Nerazzurri to their third title of the season -- the first three titles of his
European career.
Milito's two goals accounted for all the scoring in Inter's 2-0 win over Bayern that clinched it first European Cup title in 45
years.
The first goal came in the 34th minute when he was headed down a long punt from goalie Julio Cesar to Wesley Sneijder, and the Dutchman fed Milito, who broke away from countryman Martin Demichelis, faked out goalie Hans-Jorg Butt and scored from inside the area.
The Argentine put the game away in the 70th minute when he embarrassed Bayern defender Daniel van Buyten and slotted the ball past Butt.
Milito had inspired Inter to the key wins of its European campaign, scoring in the home wins over CSKA Moscow (1-0) and
Barcelona (3-1)
He joined Inter this season in a $35 million transfer from Genoa and did not disappoint with 22 goals that give him a remarkable scoring rate of 79 goals in 125 Italian
league games.
"I don't think I have ever felt such joy," said Milito. "Our president [Massimo Moratti] is the first to deserve this trophy. It's a
unique feeling. I'm 30, I had to wait a long time to win a trophy like this but this is football and football always gives you a chance to make amends. I thank [Coach Jose] Mourinho and the president for bringing me here last summer, tonight was just fantastic. We won three trophies, next season we want more."
May 22 in Madrid
Inter Milan 2 Bayern Munich 0. Goals: Milito 35, 70.
Bayern Munich --
Butt, Lahm, Van Buyten, Demichelis, Badstuber, Van Bommel, Schweinsteiger, Robben, Mueller, Altintop (Klose, 63), Olic (Gomez, 74).
Inter Milan -- Julio
Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu (Stankovic, 68), Zanetti, Cambiasso, Pandev (Muntari 79), Sneijder, Eto’o, Milito (Materazzi, 90+2).
Referee:
Howard Webb (England).
Yellow Cards: Inter Milan -- Chivu 30; Bayer Munich -- Demichelis 25, van Bommel 78.
Att.: 78,000.
Great victory over the germans, good for you diego milito, it looks like we are going to be seeing a lot more of him, probably real and barca are already thinking about him.
sort of agree with Ric--game was fairly boring in the end; but if teams want to draw inter out, then score a goal first and make them attack you. Barca scored on them in Italy then you saw Inter attack, get the goals they needed, then bunker in. Well, Barca's (And now Bayern's) fault for conceding go ahead goals. Not like they tied 0-0 and won on PK's.