Nine-man Inter moved nine points clear at the top of Serie A after a 2-0 victory over arch rivals AC Milan in a pulsating derby at the San Siro on Sunday.
The champions played for more than an hour with a numerical disadvantage after Wesley Sneijder was sent off, but they dominated throughout to earn a richly deserved victory.
Inter coach Jose Mourinho said that decision showed that the authorities were ganging up on his club.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“Tonight, everything was done to try to stop Inter winning, but this group is strong and will win the title,” Mourinho said. “When I went into the changing rooms [at halftime], I asked [the referee] why he sent off Sneijder and he told me it was because he had applauded him. He asked me what I would do if a player ironically applauded one of my decisions. ‘No,’ I replied, ‘I wouldn’t have chased him away, we’re football men’. Hence, I understood that this dismissal did not happen just like that.”
Milan may still have a game in hand on their neighbors, but the psychological effect of such a crushing defeat will make the gap seem all the wider.
Milan coach Leonardo seemed unsure about his side’s title chances.
“I don’t know, I think we’ll keep going along the path we’ve taken, I still believe in the way we play,” Leonardo said.
Inter deservedly took the lead on 10 minutes as Pandev’s ball over the top saw Diego Milito get behind Ignazio Abate in the inside-left channel and shoot low across Dida into the far corner.
Milan came flying out in the second half and Julio Cesar saved a close range Clarence Seedorf header from a David Beckham corner, before Ronaldinho hit a volley just wide.
On 65 minutes, however, Giuseppe Favalli brought down Maicon on the edge of the box and Pandev stepped up to curl home a free-kick Dida could do nothing about.
In stoppage-time, Lucio was dismissed for a second booking as he gave away a penalty, but Julio Cesar plunged to his right to beat out Ronaldinho’s effort and complete Milan’s misery.
Earlier in the day, Napoli won 2-0 at Livorno to move to within a point of third-placed AS Roma, while Palermo’s 3-0 defeat of Fiorentina moved them up to fifth.
Also on Sunday, it was Bologna 2, Bari 1; Genoa 2, Atalanta 0; SS Lazio 1, Chievo 1; Siena 1, Cagliari 1 and Udinese 2, Sampdoria 3.
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