Thursday, September 2, 2010

Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho faces a winner-takes-all home tie with Rubin Kazan in the Champions League tonight with a warning that defeat may cost him his job.

Despite the Portuguese coach winning the Serie A title in his first season in charge, defeat to the Russian champions will mean a failure to qualify for the knockout stages. And with Inter owner Massimo Moratti craving European glory, some observers believe defeat tonight could mean it’s ‘Ciao’ for former Chelsea boss Mourinho.

“If Inter are knocked out after the match against Rubin Kazan, Jose Mourinho will go at the end of the year,” Inter legend Sandro Mazzola said. “If the Inter coach doesn’t win the Champions League and goes out in this way, he himself will go and get a mutual resolution to his contract.

“It would be different, though, if they were to not win it by losing the final to Manchester United or Barcelona.”

Inter are in pole position to qualify, sitting second in group F and playing at home in the San Siro.

However, the situation is precarious for both teams, not least because only a victory would guarantee either a place in the last 16.

They are level on six points, two behind Barcelona and one ahead of Dynamo Kiev, having drawn 1-1 when they met in Tatarstan earlier in the competition.

If Dynamo beat Barcelona at home then only a victory could see either Inter or Rubin qualify, but if Dynamo fail to win there are several permutations.

A score draw of at least 2-2 would then see Rubin through on the away goals rule, while 0-0 would see Inter favoured.

But a 1-1 draw would mean Inter qualify on goals scored.

It is risky business and it should ensure an attacking game in which two teams come to win.

But Mourinho knows just how precarious a position he is in.

“Against Rubin Kazan, we face a final,” he said.

His players also know that failure to deliver could prove costly for them “It doesn’t matter who scores,” said Inter striker Samuel Eto’o.

“What matters is that we play a great game and that we win and we progress.”

Unlike Inter, the Russian champions go into the encounter in buoyant mood having clinched their second consecutive league title after ending the campaign eight points clear of runners-up Spartak Moscow.

"This season was harder than last year,” said manager Gurban Berdyev.

“We had to prove our success last year was no accident.”

Cup holders Barca just need a point to qualify, before coming to Abu Dhabi for the FIFA Club World Cup.

But striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is looking further. He wants to sign off the group stages with a win, then land the Club World Cup.

“We won two difficult games last week, and now we want to beat Dynamo and finish first,” he said.

“The Club World Cup is a very important trophy that we have never won. "If we win, we would have won everything in one and a half seasons.”