Chelsea pass Inter on the way down

Aside from learning that the English media is more in love with Jose Mourinho than ever, Chelsea’s defeat to Inter taught us a great deal about the respective progress of both clubs. In the second half, as Inter not only held Chelsea at bay but began controlling the game, it felt like a defining moment in both clubs recent history and also in the respective standings of Serie A and the Premier League.

Before the game we had been told by the media that Chelsea would be too strong that, despite Mourinho, Inter would be brushed aside much as AC Milan had been by Manchester United last week. Milan were poor at Old Trafford, ponderous and off the pace, yet the fact that they are still battling Inter for the Scudetto was taken to indicate that Inter weren’t much better.

Now, the landscape is rather different. Suddenly it is Chelsea being spoken of as past their best, a team in need of a new generation, and Inter as the rising force in the Champions League because of Mourinho’s tactical aplomb, an impenetrable defence and the creative excellence of Wesley Sneijder. Mourinho had pulled a masterstroke with his bold team selection, Ancelotti was left with no Plan B, lacking quality alternatives on the bench.

For Chelsea, this defeat might mark the beginning of the end for this team, yet they could still achieve a domestic double. This suggests that the Premier League is not as strong as Sky would have us believe. Manchester United and Arsenal are impressive without being imperious, Liverpool are tearing themselves apart both on and off the pitch, and the best that the rest can hope for is to finish fourth.

Their own supporters aside, most English fans won’t shed too many tears at the downfall of a club who are seen as wealthy bullies, bulldozing their way through the Premier League and other people’s private lives. Didier Drogba’s sending off and John Terry’s confrontation with the referee after the final whistle strengthens the impression that they are sore losers.

Inter may not win the Champions League this season, and they will have to overcome opposition with far more attacking nous than Chelsea if they do, but it felt like a breakthrough for a team who expect better in this competition than they have achieved in recent years.  With the Bundesliga threatening to overhaul Serie A in the UEFA co-efficient rankings and leave Italy with only 3 Champions League qualifiers each season, it was a timely victory for Italian football as well.