In-form Inter have record in sight

It might be too early to draw comparisons with the great FC Internazionale Milano sides of the past, but Roberto Mancini's team have already equalled the Serie A record of eleven consecutive wins and are making a fortune for bookmakers who accept bets each week on which Italian side will be the first to beat them.

'Talent'
After 18 matches, only three teams have taken a point off Inter, and another victory on Saturday, away to Torino FC, will see the Nerazzurri become the first Serie A side to win 12 games in a row. "No other team in Italy can count on 20 to 22 players of this level," club legend Sandro Mazzola told uefa.com. "If you look at 13 or 14 players, maybe there are other sides who can compete with Inter but not if you look at 20 to 22. It's hard to find a team in the whole of Europe with so much talent in their squad."

'Options'
Mazzola was a European Champion Clubs' Cup winner with Inter in 1964 and 1965 and is well qualified to judge the qualities of this Inter side. Having been awarded the Scudetto last season after Juventus were stripped of the crown, Inter have been called on to confirm that success on the pitch, something Mazzola believes they are well on the way to doing. "Last season you could already see Inter were playing as a team. This season they've managed to keep a constant momentum and have so many different options, especially in midfield and attack."

Power
Mancini has built his side around a formidable power base; physically they are stronger than anyone else. Adriano, Marco Materazzi, Fabio Grosso, Patrick Vieira and Zlatan Ibrahimović are all giants and their aerial ability, especially at set-pieces, combined with the skills of Ibrahimović himself, Luís Figo, Dejan Stanković and others, make for an explosive combination.

Weakened league
Inter's strength contrasts with the relative weakness of Serie A, shorn of Juventus and with AC Milan handicapped by a points deduction, punishment for their involvement in last season's match-fixing scandal. In addition, traditionally strong sides such as SSC Napoli, Genoa 1893 and Bologna FC are all locking horns in Serie B, giving the second tier a competitive edge the top flight perhaps lacks. Inter may have faced more of a fight had they had to tackle those teams, but Mazzola dismisses the idea that the Nerazzurri have it easy.

'Winning mentality'
"Juventus are in Serie B and perhaps Milan didn't strengthen their squad as much as they should have over the summer, but the league is as it is and it is useless to speak about a lack of competition. I'm sure Inter would have had a great season even if Juventus were in Serie A and Milan were at their best. Inter are a very complete and mature side. Every player fully knows the potential of the team and Mancini has managed to give his side a winning mentality."

Inter great
The 64-year-old Mazzola, the son of former Torino FC star Valentino Mazzola who was killed in the Superga air disaster in 1949, spent his entire career at Inter, scoring 116 Serie A goals and winning the Scudetto four times as well as the European Cup and the European/South American Cup twice. He worked as a director at the club until 2003 and his heart still beats for the Nerazzurri. Mazzola, though, will not make comparisons between this side and La Grande Inter he played for in the Sixties.

Just the start
"We won so many trophies, while this side have just started, it's too early to compare," he said. "However, I believe Mancini's team have everything they need to start a winning cycle. I really hope so." Lothar Matthäus, leader of the Inter side who won the title in 1989, also shies away from comparisons. "We're talking about two different periods. I just know we had a fantastic season and broke an impressive number of records. I'm still a great Inter fan and I just hope Mancini can continue like this in the league and go a long way in Europe." Only time will tell if future debates about the greatest Inter side will include Mancini's men.

This article is from the uefa.com Magazine. To read this week's edition click here.