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"Even with seven players we'd still have won. Championship over? No. They won't let us win it"

MILAN - José Mourinho's Nerazzurri played 65 minutes with ten men and added time with nine as they battled to a famous derby victory over AC Milan. "We showed everything, we showed that we could only have lost this match if we had had six men on the pitch," said the Inter coach. "With six men we would have lost because with seven we would still have won it. But this wasn't the kind of match that coaches dream about. A dream match for coaches is one in which the team wins, plays very well, and so do the opponent and the referee. This is the perfect match.

"We won tonight, Inter played a spectacular game from every point of view. From the first minute you could see we were the stronger team. We won, but we leave here with a strange taste. It was a strange match where my players were fantastic and Milan played their game. There's nothing else to say."



Mourinho was asked for his thoughts on Gianluca Rocchi's refereeing and the decision to send off Wesley Sneijder. He replied: "This is your country, it's your championship. I'm just a foreigner who comes here to do his job. I don't want to add anything else, but I repeat that we would only have lost today if we had been reduced to six men. Milan did everything to leave here with dignity, the match was never easy for them. I haven't heard Leonardo's post-match declarations, but I don't need to. He's a great man and he will be the first to say that Inter deserved to win."

Goran Pandev was set to be substituted by Thiago Motta moments before his goal, but the Macedonian stayed on long enough to score from a free kick. "A match of details? I already said it some time ago: a lucky coach is better than a good coach," said Mourinho. "Goran was about to come off, it was luck and instinct, but someone told me to leave him on the pitch for a few more minutes. Football is a game and sometimes you also need a bit of luck. We are lucky to have Pandev, I am lucky to have some very good players whose only thought was to win, finish with nine men and not with six." 



Mourinho underlined the work done by several of his players ahead of the Milan derby. "Sneijder has worked hard, away from the group, knowing that his only reference point was Pirlo. Thiago Motta did the impossible to play today, perhaps he deserves more consideration from the fans. Leonardo also did everything possible. He played two centre-forwards, but I'm happy that Inzaghi stayed on the bench because Pippo always creates problems for me. Muntari and Motta did everything possible to be on the pitch tonight. Santon did very well and I'm very satisfied with his reply, but unfortunately the game changed and he couldn't push forward. He couldn't create a lot but he did well and I can't find a player of mine who wasn't perfect tonight.

"Championship over? No. I have already realised that they won't let us win the championship. If in Bari they decided not to punish Bonucci's foul with a red and if today Sneijder was sent off, I don't think we can win this Scudetto. Rocchi told me that Sneijder was sent off for the applause and he asked me what I do if a player ironically applauds a decision of mine. No, I replied, I don't send him off because this is part of the game. But it wasn't a coincidence that Mr Rocchi produced the red card."

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Ladies and Gentlemen this is Mou at his best!!!