Mourinho: ‘Parma deserved the point’

(GSM) – On Wednesday night, Internazionale were held by ten-men Parma: 1-1.

After the match, Inter boss Jose Mourinho said he could live with the result.

“We went out there to win straight away and knew that this was the latest in a long line of games, so wasn’t easy,” Mourinho said.

The Portuguese manager was thrilled with the performance of veteran defender Marco Materazzi.

“Materazzi was fantastic and showed a great example as a man in staying out there with the injury. He did it for the team. Parma ended with 10 men, we had 10 and a half. That half could’ve been decisive.

“Ivan Cordoba was much more suited to racing after Biabiany, but Materazzi has the strength in the air and can build the team very well. We were trailing and I thought he could give us something more on set plays, so I kept him on.”

Mourinho used Materazzi’s heroics as an example to Mario Balotelli.

“His talent is obvious, everyone knows it. He scored a goal, has netted some important ones for us in the past, but last week he couldn’t defend a corner because he’d lost a contact lens.

“Materazzi has a thigh strain, which I think is serious, and he ran 50 metres in stoppages to defend a corner. These details are very important for my way of thinking.”

Balotelli cancelled out Valeri Bojonov’s opening goal, while Francisco Valiani was sent off and Materazzi had to play the final 12 minutes with a thigh strain.

“I think we did enough in the first half to be winning, but Parma defended well, had an excellent goalkeeper and then were more balanced after the break,” explained Mourinho.

“The game kept changing with their goal, our goal, Valiani’s red card, Materazzi’s injury, but overall I am not unhappy with my squad. I think Parma’s lads deserved this point for the way they fought honestly throughout.

“I am satisfied because my side played a professional game. It wasn’t easy, as Parma made it difficult for us.

“Obviously winning here would’ve been important, but to be nine points clear of Roma and 10 from Milan is a good position to be in. Drawing away from home is not a disaster.”