Inter Milan News

MILAN – Two hundred children were invited to Inter’s game against Genoa game. Cheerful at lunch, enthusiastic in the stands and with a very special post-match meeting: as well as the presents, they also received a visit from the players.

Nerazzurri shirts for everyone. A heartfelt ‘Merry Christmas’ from Inter for these kids who come from communities, foster homes and children’s homes around the city. The annual festive invitation is a long-held Inter tradition started in the sixties during the Grande Inter era – backed by president Angelo Moratti – that has continued ever since.

A moment of immense joy, and those handing over the shirts got something even more precious in return: a huge smile. The way it should be at this time of year. Merry Christmas!

MILAN – (ANSA) “Are nine points too much of a gap with Juventus? Maybe so, but I know we have a great group of lads and I’m sure we’ll get going again. We just needed a bit more luck today.” That was the brief statement made by Inter president Massimo Moratti as he left the Stadio Meazza after the draw with Genoa.

MILAN – “It’s a shame about the result today because we really wanted to end the year on a high but that’s the way it goes,” sighed Cristian Chivu as he spoke to Inter Channel after the Genoa match.

The defender added: “We had the best chances in the second period but that’s football for you. The Christmas break? We need it, not so much for me but for my team-mates who have had a busy first half to the season. They deserve a bit of rest now.”

Chivu then promised: “In any case, we’ll keep battling away right till the end.”

MILAN – Esteban Cambiasso, Inter’s goalscorer against Genoa, gave his thoughts after the match: “We didn’t play very well in the first half but after the break we had a number of chances we were unable to put away. Then with their first shot… We came back by digging really deep, maybe the football wasn’t that pretty but we showed belief.”

The midfielder was asked if the team was perhaps below off the pace today: “Obviously you throw all caution to the wind when you find yourself behind, so I think Inter picked up because they scored. Is this a blow for our ambitions? No, we’re keeping on our path, we know we must do the best we can this season. You aim to get three points in every game, so obviously you’re disappointed when you don’t get them.”

MILAN
– “I knew, we knew very well that we were in a difficult situation. We had
a couple out there who weren’t properly fit, like Gargano who had a
swollen ankle that made it hard for him to walk, and Cambiasso, who was
passed fit at the last minute.” That’s how Andrea Stramaccioni
began after Inter’s draw with Genoa, before adding: “I want to
congratulate the lads anyway. If you think that we conceded with a
quarter of an hour to go then left the pitch
disappointed not to have won… We showed a magnificent response.
Clearly we’re disappointed because that Livaja situation was
ridiculous. Now we need to take a complete break from it all and come
back ready to start again strongly.”

The coach continued: “I think we
began well but then we lost our way a bit – partly because of Alvarez’s injury – but still remained in control of the game. I asked
Chivu to go out there and make things happen for me and we managed to
create more that way, then Immobile did well to beat Ranocchia and
catch out Handanovic with his shot. At that point Inter might
have disappeared from the scene but we didn’t. We’ll reach the halfway
point in form.”

Stramaccioni was then asked if his team need a player like Paulinho: “There’s no point talking now about what we might need. We had a difficult situation today and my players deserve credit. We still have the chance to have a great
2013 with the groundwork we’ve laid this year. Immobile’s goal?
Everyone knows he’s right-footed so we tried to close off that avenue for
him. Fair play to the lad for dummying and going the other way.
Ranocchia had a great game, 7 times out of 10 I think Immobile would
have gone right, which is where Ranocchia shut him out.”

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