Friends reunited at San Siro

By Jonathan Wilson

There are six Argentinians in Héctor Cúper's Internazionale FC squad. Most of their backroom staff is Argentinian. And on Wednesday night in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, they face Cúper's former club Valencia CF, who boast an Argentinian influence of their own. Pulling the strings for the Spaniards will be playmaker Pablo Aimar, who lines up against his international captain Javier Zanetti, while Hernán Crespo and Guly may warm the Inter bench.

Sense of underachievement
It is not the only thing the teams share - there is also a common sense of underachievement, some of it Argentinian. In a FIFA World Cup in which giants were routinely brought to earth, no side crashed quite as hard as Argentina. And then there are the club disappointments. Valencia lost the Champions League final in both 2000 and 2001, while Internazionale, despite a massive outlay on players, have not won Serie A since 1989.

Sense of caution
It also niggles that while their city rivals AC Milan have won five European Champion Clubs' Cups, Inter have won it just twice – with the last success coming in 1965, when they were led by another Argentinian who arrived in Italy from Spain, Helenio Herrera. The similarities do not end there. Herrera, of course, was the man who made catenaccio tick, while Cúper too is noted for his cautious tactics, although Inter might not be as sound defensively as they would like to be.

'No suicide'
"We are team who score a lot and concede a lot, so there is an imbalance there," he said. "Often, though, it is not only the system, it can be players who make a mistake and that is a risk you always have. I like my teams to play attacking football, but I'm not going to commit suicide or give the opposition presents. For the person who really likes football, acres of space and little closing down can end up being just boring."

Another chapter
Just to add further spice to the fixture, Inter beat Valencia in the UEFA Cup quarter-final last season. "Of course there is extra motivation from the fact we know each other," said Valencia midfield player David Albelda. "This match is another chapter in the story although on an individual level you could take it as a revenge mission." Cúper, meanwhile, makes no secret of the affection he still has for his former club. "My feelings for Valencia are strong," he said. "But I have to control them. It must be clear: this is not a match between Valencia and Cúper."

Cúper's influence
His refusal to take centre stage is typical of a man who models his teams in his own image – neat but steely, stern and phlegmatic. "I consider myself a worker in the great factory of football," he once said, and the image is fitting. Rafael Benítez may have given his side licence to play with greater freedom than they did under his predecessor, but the side that won the title last season was still in some part Cúper's.

'Excellent coach'
"This is still Cúper's side," said Valencia goalkeeper Santiago Cañizares. "Nearly all the players worked with him during his two seasons at the club. He was an excellent coach, especially when working with the defence, and he has left a good legacy to which Rafa Benítez has added his own positive qualities. This game will be very special. First of all, because of Inter's quality and history, but also because we will be up against Cúper. Nobody should be embarrassed to honour Cúper for the job he did here in Valencia."