Former Inter defender Marco Materazzi is calling it like he sees it, claiming José Mourinho would never have pulled Rasmus Hojlund from the pitch last weekend. Materazzi pointed to Napoli coach Massimiliano Allegri’s decision to sub Hojlund off against Inter, a move he believes Mourinho would have avoided. This comes just ahead of Inter’s Champions League opener against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu tonight, where Federico Dimarco’s absence is set to be “significant.” Talk about high stakes for the Nerazzurri.
The Special One is Back at the Bernabéu
Materazzi, who clearly still has a tight bond with Mourinho from their San Siro days, recently caught up with the Special One in Italy. “José took a plane specifically to record that footage, and he told me again: ‘You and John Terry, the most important centre-backs of my career’,” Materazzi told Gazzetta. The 2006 Italy World Cup winner isn’t shocked Real Madrid re-hired Mourinho last summer, either. Materazzi knows the trust Florentino Perez has in José, noting, “So much so that he’s given him the keys to Real again, and José will do what he always does: take all the responsibility, become the one true point of reference.” Materazzi summed up Mourinho’s impact perfectly: “The great thing about José is that anyone who plays for him feels ‘one of him’, they’d die for him on the pitch. The bad thing is that he’s missed when he leaves…”
Inter’s Fire and a Questionable Sub
Real Madrid lost their last La Liga game, but Inter is riding high after a massive 3-2 comeback win against Napoli at San Siro, digging out of a two-goal deficit. Materazzi saw pure grit in that performance. “Inter would have felt strong even if they had lost: especially in the first half, they played a great match,” he noted. “And you see a strong team when they go 2-0 down: zero panic, no nervousness.” Materazzi highlighted captain Lautaro Martinez for raising the team’s intensity, even picking up a yellow for justifiable anger with the referee. That’s leadership right there.
But back to the sub. Materazzi firmly believes Mourinho would never have taken Hojlund off in the second half. Hojlund, Materazzi said, “single-handedly keeps the whole team high up the pitch and chases every ball.” Subbing him for someone “less effective” like Lucca, no offense meant, just wasn’t the move. Cristian Chivu, on the other hand, got his substitutions right, securing the win with goals from Lautaro Martinez (two) and Marcus Thuram, with ex-Liverpool player Jones also making an impact off the bench.
Tonight’s Champions League opener at the Bernabéu isn’t just a game; it’s a test for Inter without Dimarco and a reunion with Mourinho. Can they carry that no-panic mentality into hostile territory and keep the good times rolling? It’s going to be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply