EUROSCENE/PADDY AGNEW: In the end, football logic will out. As Inter Milan fell at the last hurdle of the Italian title contest on Sunday, thus handing the "scudetto" to arch-rivals Juventus, an uncanny sense of soccer realism reasserted itself and did so, for once, without cries of "foul" and "fix".
If it is true Inter have only themselves to blame for not holding on for their 14th title success, their first since current Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni led them in 1989, then it is also true the strongest team won in the end.
Mind you, on Sunday morning it had not looked that way. Not only did Inter go into the last day of the season one point clear of second-placed Juventus and two clear of third-placed champions AS Roma but they also found themselves playing their last game, away to Lazio, in the surreal context of a stadium where the opposition fans had decided to support them.
Such is the fierce nature of the rivalry between the Rome city cousins, Lazio and Roma, that the Lazio fans had decided to shout for Inter lest a win for their own team might indirectly help Roma win the title.
The Olympic Stadium on Sunday thus presented the bizarre sight of a packed stadium, all decked out in Inter's black and blue colours, with one or two Lazio banners explaining the spirit of the occasion by declaring, "Neither Juventus nor Roma for the title".
As if that were not enough, there were other serious reasons for questioning Lazio's attitude. For a start, coach Alberto Zaccheroni had already been de facto sacked since he is due to be replaced by Roberto Mancini this week. Secondly, players such as Czech Karol Poborsky and Argentinians Claudio Lopez and Diego Simeone all knew they were playing their last game for a Lazio club that wants rid of them.
Such a side, with only the UEFA Cup to play for and abandoned by its own fans, will simply hand the game (and title) to Inter, reasoned the conspiracy theorists. When, after 12 minutes, Lazio goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi dropped a simple corner-kick at the feet of Inter's Christian Vieri for the opening goal, our worst suspicions seemed confirmed.
Even a 20th-minute Lazio equaliser from Poborsky did not undermine the doubters as Inter were in front again within four minutes after yet another corner-kick, converted brilliantly by Gigi Di Biagio, was conceded with suspicious nonchalance by Lazio's Fernando Couto.
It was then that football re-emerged. Evidently, not all the Lazio players had read the script. All too obviously stung by the taunts of their fans, they called on the iron in their souls for their best performance of the season against an Inter side that never recovered from the psychological killer blow of conceding a second equaliser (again Poborsky) in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Two more Lazio goals in the second half were all that both they and Inter deserved. Lazio were defiant while Inter lost their nerve, lost midfield and lost up front. In that latter context, it must be observed Ronaldo had a nightmare game, suggesting he is still a long way short of his pre-France '98 form.
Alas, poor Brazil, if they are looking to Ronaldo to win the World Cup for them. Alas, poor Inter coach, Argentinian Hector Cuper, beaten in the last two Champions League finals with Valencia, and beaten again at the last hurdle. He, at least, when the disappointment has subsided, can look back on a successful season, Inter's third place notwithstanding.
In the meantime, too, hats off to Juventus who picked up their 26th title, registering the best attack in Serie A (64 goals scored), the best defence (23 conceded), while fielding the leading goalscorer in David Trezeguet (24, joint top with Piacenza's Dario Hubner). All of this, too, in their first season for five years without Zinedine Zidane. Yes, the right team won - in the end.
