Difficult to replace a football giant like the Jose Mourinho who practically won everything with Inter Milan, championship, cup and champions League. Barely six months after taking over from the auto proclaimed ‘Special One’, Rafael Benitez has been fired and replaced by former AC Milan coach, Leonardo Araujo. Benítez took over from José Mourinho in the summer following the historic treble in 2009/10 season and led the Italian club side to victory in the Italian Super Cup and the recent FIFA Club World Cup.
However, this was not enough to save Benitez’s head as Inter have struggled in the league where they occupy the 7th position, 13 points adrift of leaders AC Milan though with two games fewer. The last straw that broke the Carmel’s back was Benitez’s criticism of the Nerazzurri’s president, Angelo Moratti, after victory in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup. “I was already not satisfied with the performance and the declaration on came to hasten my decision,” said Moratti.
41-year-old Leonardo led the Rossoneri to third place last season before leaving. As a player he scored scored eight goals in 56 games for Brazil, played in midfield for Milan when they won the Serie A title in 1999 and also represented CR Flamengo, São Paulo FC, Valencia CF, Kashima Antlers and Paris Saint-Germain FC.
He will be unveiled on 29 December when the Nerazzurri restart training after the Christmas break. However, his litmus test will be on February 23 when Inter will face FC Bayern München in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, in a remake of last year’s final. The sides met in last season's final, when the Italian outfit triumphed 2-0 to end their 45-year wait to again claim European club football's greatest trophy. Having dominated Italian football for the past five years, Leonardo also has the arduous task to enable Inter reclaim not only the Serie A title but also the Champions League title they won last year.
