| > |

Mariga debuts in Inter Milan's Champions League clash

On Wednesday, February 24, he will be standing beside his team mates as the famous music is played in the San Siro Stadium ahead of his first taste of Champions League action. He will be turning out for Inter Milan against Chelsea after he signed a contract with the Nerazzurri that runs until June 2012 and was entered their Champions League roster. Mariga won’t be belting out the words as he would his national anthem but there won’t be anyone prouder or more jittery. “It’s every player’s wish to play in the Champions League,” the Harambee Stars midfield dynamo said from Milan. Mariga might debut at the Serie A leaders in today’s first semi-final of the Italian Cup against Fiorentina that was snowed out on Sunday at Parma. The Internet is awash with comments on Mariga's failed entry into English top flight football with bloggers blaming the government for its reluctance to intervene in mending the mess that is Kenyan football. With the British red tape excluding Kenya from the ranks of football superpowers, Inter were allowed to swoop in and save themselves the €8.5 million (Sh867 million) mark-up they had to pay on Sulleyman Muntari. They have instead offloaded Jonathan Biabiany and loaned Luis Jimenez to Parma, and paid a nominal €2.5m, (Sh255m) for the co-ownership of Mariga. And in many ways Mariga looks like a better long-term fit for Inter than Muntari. His stature immediately marks him out as a forceful presence, but he is also a great reader of the game both in attack and defence. He is undoubtedly a better player off the ball than on it: strong in the tackle, great at tracking back, excellent defensive anticipation and immediately aware of trouble around him. With Jose Mourinho looking for greater midfield stability ahead of the big home clash against the Blues, the 22-year-old Kenyan appears to be the perfect choice. “I’m very happy for Mariga. Despite the fact that he didn’t make it to Manchester City, he still made a good switch to Inter Milan,” said Sofapaka’s head coach, Robert Matano. “It’s his discipline that has made him attract such attraction. I hope the younger players will emulate him as a role model.” While he was employed in a variety of positions by Francesco Guidolin at Parma, Mariga is expected to develop into a defensive midfielder of repute in the coming months, challenging the likes of Ricardo Quaresma, Thiago Motta, Muntari or even Esteban Cambiasso for Mourinho’s starting line-up.