Soccer-Nervous Inter threaten to repeat 2002 collapse

By Mark Meadows

MILAN, May 12 (Reuters) - Inter Milan's title jitters are giving their fans painful flashbacks of the 2002 season when they managed to surrender the scudetto on the final day.

A repeat next weekend would be even more shocking and signal one of the biggest collapses in modern soccer.

Roberto Mancini's side were 11 points clear in mid-February, but with one round of games left they lead AS Roma by just one.

The 2-1 defeat by AC Milan two weekends ago knocked their confidence slightly, but they always knew a home game with Siena on Sunday offered the perfect chance to retain their crown.

Instead, Inter drew 2-2 after losing the lead twice and Marco Materazzi had infuriated his team mates, fans and coach. The centre back decided he would take the 78th minute penalty which would have handed the scudetto to Inter, given that he netted the spotkick against Siena which clinched the championship the previous season.

However, Argentina striker Julio Cruz was the nominated taker. The pair argued and Cruz had to be pulled away.

Materazzi's effort was saved and the defender, in the Siena box during an attack, also managed to get in the way of a goalbound shot from Cruz to compound his misery.