Fallen giants Inter Milan still chasing Mourinho magic

Eight years have elapsed since Jose Mourinho's reign as Inter Milan coach ended on a historic high of Champions League glory, and the fallen Italian giants are still struggling to recapture that magic from Madrid.

The Portuguese oversaw the most successful season in the club's history -- a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu completed the first treble of Serie A, domestic Cup and Champions League in Italian history.

Since those days it has been lean times for the 18-time Italian and three-time European champions, with the only title of any sort a 2011 Italian Cup crown.

Luciano Spalletti's side return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2010-2011 season on Tuesday when they host Tottenham at the San Siro.

Expectations are high, but their return comes against a backdrop of continuing crisis as the Nerazzurri lie a lowly 15th with just one win and four points from four games.

Inter, who finished fourth last season, had looked a serious rival to seven-time reigning champions Juventus with summer signings such as Radja Nainggolan, Matteo Politano, Sime Vrsjalko and Keita Balde.

"The responsibility is mine if a lot of players are showing less than their full potential," said Spalletti after Inter loanee Federico Dimarco scored the winner for Parma on Saturday.

"I must think about improving the team and doing my job well because I have a strong squad here." The task of stopping Juventus on the domestic scene was already daunting, but it now looks impossible.

"It's crisis .. Inter are lost and unable to react," wrote Gazzetta Dello Sport.

"Morale in pieces," added Corriere Dello Sport.

The headlines have been the same since Mourinho packed his bags for Real Madrid in 2010, with 11 coaches succeeding the current Manchester United manager in the Inter Milan hotseat.

First up was Rafael Benitez who arrived in Italy after a six-year reign at Liverpool. The Spaniard's stay was to be brief -- six months in total.

Despite winning the Italian Super Cup and the Club World Cup, he clashed with then owner Massimo Moratti over demands for new players.

Inter fell to the first loss of their Champions League defence at Tottenham in November 2010.

Ex-AC Milan star Leonardo's appointment after Benitez was a bolt from the blue, arriving from Inter's bitter city rivals with whom they share a stadium.

Despite some success he lasted just six months, as the holders crashed out of the Champions League.

- Financial turmoil -
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