Italian Roundup

Jobless for a day, Mancini named to coach Inter Milan

ROME (Reuters) -- Roberto Mancini has taken over as coach of Inter Milan, joining the Serie A side with a three-year deal after resolving a dispute with Lazio , the club announced on Wednesday.

The 39-year-old succeeds Alberto Zaccheroni, who resigned last month after only eight months in charge.

"FC Internazionale communicates that it has sealed the signing of Roberto Mancini. The coach has put pen to paper on a contract which ties him to the club until 30 June 2007," Inter said in a statement on its website.

His appointment ends months of speculation in the Italian media, which even before the end of last season reported Inter owner Massimo Moratti had decided to replace Zaccheroni with Mancini.

When Zaccheroni resigned, Inter president Giacinto Facchetti told a shareholders meeting Mancini would sign for Inter within days, but his move was slowed by a dispute with Lazio, with whom he had a contract until 2008.

Lazio's decision on Tuesday to release Mancini, however, opened the way for him to take up the Inter post.

Mancini, who as a player won Serie A titles with Sampdoria and Lazio as well as making 36 international appearances for Italy, is considered one of the brightest young coaches in Serie A.

Having started out as assistant to current England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson at Lazio, Mancini took over at Fiorentina during the 2000-2001 season, leading them to the Italian Cup in his first season in charge.

He quit the following year as Fiorentina spiralled towards bankruptcy before rejoining Rome-based Lazio in August 2002.

FINANCIAL PROBLEMS

Mancini again had to cope with serious financial problems that forced the departures of players Alessandro Nesta and Hernan Crespo, but guided the club to fourth place in Serie A and the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in the 2002-03 season.

Last season Lazio won the Italian Cup and finished sixth in Serie A.

At Inter, money is less of an issue than the inability of a series of high-profile coaches to turn huge investment by Moratti into success on the pitch.

Since acquiring the club in February 1995, Moratti has bought and sold a string of world-class players, including Brazilian World Cup winners Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo, but the Serie A title has eluded him.

Inter were last crowned Italian champions in 1989. Last season the club finished fourth, 23 points behind champions and arch-rivals AC Milan.

The sole triumph of Moratti's ownership remains the 1998 UEFA Cup final, won 3-0 against Lazio.

Mancini is the 11th man to take charge at Inter since Moratti became its owner.

EU gives Italy two months to fix 'Salva Calcio' law

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- The European Commission gave Italy two months to make changes to a contentious law, enacted to help Italian soccer clubs stave off bankruptcy, or it would take the matter to the European Court of Justice.

The EU head office said the Italian regulation "breaches" EU rules on accounting standards by allowing major soccer clubs in Italy to "submit accounts which underestimate their true costs in a given year" regarding player contracts.

The Commission said the financial statements of the clubs "should show a true and fair view of companies' assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss."

Under the legislation, which is only in effect for this year, cash-strapped clubs can write off a player's transfer fee over 10 years instead of being tied to the length of the player's contract -- typically three or four years.

The Commission said in March that it would close the case on the "Salva Calcio" law if Rome amended the legislation to bring it in line with EU rules.

However, the Commission said "no measure has been up to now taken by the Italian authorities to put an end to these effects."

The new threat by the EU to sue the Italian government before the court in Luxembourg over the "Salva Calcio" law could again bring new dangers to Italy's most powerful clubs, many of which are struggling with large debts.

EU investigators were looking at whether the legislation offers Italian clubs an unfair advantage over competitors from other European nations where clubs are also struggling with higher costs.

Last year, of the 18 clubs in Italy's Serie A, only two-time defending champion Juventus was reported to be making a profit. Fiorentina, a former top-level Italian team, had to restart in the fourth division after it went bankrupt in 2002.

Italy could face a hefty fine if the EU high court rules in favor of the European Commission.

Boca defender Burdisso signs for Inter Milan

ROME (Reuters) -- Inter Milan have signed defender Nicolas Burdisso from Argentine side Boca Juniors, the Serie A club announced on its website on Wednesday.

Burdisso, who signed a four-year deal with the Italian giants, has made three appearances for Argentina.

With Boca, the 23-year-old won two Argentine league titles, three Libertadores Cups and two Intercontinental Cups, including last December's victory against Inter's arch-rivals AC Milan.

Burdisso is Inter's fourth close-season signing after the arrivals of midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron from Chelsea, defender Giuseppe Favalli from Lazio and midfielder Esteban Cambiasso, whose contract with Real Madrid expired last month.

Copyright 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.