Partying Inter fans beg Mourinho to stay

Tens of thousands of sleepless Inter fans welcomed back the Nerazzurri in the early hours of Sunday morning to celebrate their first European Cup title in 45 years, but their talisman coach Jose Mourinho was not among them.

An imperious Inter completed the first treble for a Serie A side on Saturday night by overcoming Bayern Munich 2-0 with two goals from Diego Milito at Real Madrid's Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, where the Portuguese may take on as coach next season.

Over 100,000 fans thronged the streets of Milan to party, after gathering in the seething Piazza del Duomo, waving giant flags and setting off flares and fireworks.

Just as dawn broke the plane carrying the team touched down at Milan's Malpensa airport, with an Inter flag flying from the cockpit window.

Captain Javier Zanetti held up the cup for around 40,000 restless supporters, who gave a huge roar when he led the team into the San Siro, which was opened up to the Nerazzurri fans at 2am.

"Forza Inter, Forza Mourinho, don't leave your number one," fans chanted all night, begging their coach to stay at the club.

The Portuguese coach said after Saturday's final that he had not held talks with Real Madrid but could do "after tomorrow".

The outspoken 47-year-old, who became only the third coach to win the European Cup with two different clubs, has consistently said he enjoys being at Inter but is unhappy with life in Italian football.

Almost all Italian newspapers on Sunday carried headlines on Mourinho leaving the Nerazzurri.

"Milito crushes Bayern. Mou, tears and farewell," La Gazzetta dello Sport read.

Source: Reuters