Inter of Porto Alegre, once more on the summit of America (Yahoo)

With several reinforcements of great importance, among them three Argentinean players, the Inter of Porto Alegre got to consecrate Champion of the prestigious Copa Libertadores de América, winning in an intense final in double match over Chivas of México and therefore, this Brazilian club won the right to represent in December the South American Continent at the next World Championship of Clubs of the Arabian Emirates.

Coinciding with the name of the winner of the European Champions League, the Inter of Italy, the Inter of Porto Alegre does not contain the classical characteristics of the Brazilian game and even more, their own directive commission is composed by several directives that are fans of the Argentinean team in the great contests, because since always the region “Gaúcha” of South Brazil has always identified more with the neighbour countries (Argentina and Uruguay) than with Brazil itself, a Continent within an enormous country.

Inter has already won, not long ago in 2006 the Copa Libertadores, when also surprised at the World Championship of Clubs in Japan nothing less but the Barcelona of Frank Rikjaard that they counted with a player formed in the “enemies lines” the Gremio of the same city, Porto Alegre.

Several of these players, as the defenders Indio or Bolívar, the midfielder Tinga, or the returned forwarder Rafael Sobís, though also with the addition of great players such as Giuliano (forwarder), Fabio Eller (defender), and the midfielders Kleber, Sandro (transferred to Tottenham) and Alecsandro (who will play with the Sporting Lisboa), with to the goalkeeper Renán (returned from the Spanish league) were the clue in getting this trophy.

Also the Argentines have made their contribution from the veteran and the good star of Roberto Abbondanzieri, -multiple hoarder of local and International trophies with Boca Juniors and not being taken into account in the Argentinean club, he was quickly incorporated by the Inter, though having lost the position before Renán-, Andrés D’alessandro, that after having played in the German, English and Spanish football after their beginnings in River Plate, not only it seems that he has found his place but that now he profiles to be convoked for the national team and the fighting midfielder Pablo Guiñazú, of great physical display in each of the matches.

Sport Club Internacional (so it is called with its full name), now proposes to win the “Brasileirao” (the strongest contest of Brazil, in this moment in dispute) trophy that it does not obtain since 1979, in times of great cracks such as Paulo Roberto Falcao, Batista, the Chilean Elías Figueroa, the goalkeeper Raúl or the forwarder Mauro Sergio, before entering into the World Championship of Clubs in December.

It was not an easy way for the Inter in this Cup in which they had to over pass two hard teams of Argentina such as Banfield in eights losing 3-1 at the first match and winning 2-0 on return), and Estudiantes, the former champion (distressingly eliminated at the last minute noting 2-1 with which they lost but it was sufficient after having won in Brazil l-0 at the first match), once again they could pass adjustly the semi final winning over San Pablo by 1-0 after having lost initially 2-1, neither was easy the final vs Chivas of México, because though they won well 1-2 in Guadalajara, they almost lost the whole match, and also withdraw losing 0-1 in the first time in Brazil though afterwards they won well by 3-2.

The Inter closes a campaign of eight triumphs , three ties and three defeats, with nineteen goals in favour and twelve against and with a change of coach in the middle of the dispute of the Cup that had to postpone its final phase due to the dispute of the World Championship in South Africa in the middle because the Uruguayan Jorge Fosatti had already started to conduce them (with him Liga de Quito turned out champion of the Copa Libertadores in 2008) and ended doing it with the Brazilian Celso Roth.

Inter’s victory also speaks about the enormous level of parity that there is in this moment in the South American Continent, after years of Argentinean pre-eminence, specially in the sixties, seventies and the first decade of the XXI century, as since 2004 the Brazilians imposed three times, twice the Argentineans and once the Colombians and the Ecuadorians, meanwhile the Uruguayans winners in eight opportunities of this trophy, are twenty two years without obtaining it since the Nacional won the Cup in 1988.

For the time being, Argentina continues being the country with more South Americans trophies (22), though in this opportunity, they could put no team among the four semi finalists (two Brazilians, one Mexican and one Chilean), Brazil is in the second positioning (14) Uruguay since a long stays in the third (8). Then at a long distance follows Paraguay (3), Colombia (2) and Chile and Equator (1).

Another of the interesting aspects of this Edition 51 of the history of the Copa Libertadores (that started to be disputed in 1960) is the protagonism of the Mexican teams they were having in the South American Competitions that since some time maintain positions of fight to conquer the title, as in this case of Chivas.

México, participant of the Copa Libertadores with invited teams, because officially they pertain to the Concacaf North, Centre and Caribbean Football Confederation) since the Gold Cup they can arrive to the World Championship of Clubs, they have no chance to reach it via the Conmebol, but they already showed their potency to such a point that they will be again part of the American Cup of teams in the edition 2011 in Argentina, in which Japan will also play.