Stramaccioni: "An important game, not decisive"

APPIANO GENTILE
"I agree with Mazzarri, no game can be decisive at this stage of
the season. It is a six-pointer, not make or break, but it is a
six-pointer. And it’s important for us." That was Andrea Stramaccioni’s assessment ahead
of Inter v Napoli, scheduled for a 20:45 kick-off at the Stadio
Meazza tomorrow.

The coach went on: "With Mazzarri, Napoli
have reached the peak of their current cycle. In many ways we’re at
the opposite end of the spectrum, in the sense that we’re in the first year of a new project."

After stressing that Diego
Milito is "the best penalty-box striker in Serie A," Stramaccioni
gave his opinion about two Napoli players in particular, Edinson Cavani and Marek
Hamsik, offering sincere praise: "Cavani is an
exceptional player, a lovely lad and a true professional. He’s
living up to the status of one of the world’s best strikers. It’s
rare to see someone who can combine the physical characteristics he
has with such talent. He helps out defensively, he’s the perfect
example of a modern forward. Hamsik gives them an extra gear:
he’s got incredible stamina and amazing attacking prowess. At the moment Hamsik is
the reason Napoli are as good as they are, because Cavani, while
extraordinary, is a striker, and the opposition’s defence can pick him up on
their radar."

The Nerazzurri coach then identified one of the main threats to his side tomorrow: "If we’re not careful in certain situations in the middle of the
park, we could find that we are the perfect victims for a team like Napoli.
Their strengths coincide with our weaknesses. However, we’ve been
working all week to ensure that doesn’t happen."

Stramaccioni gives fitness update on players

APPIANO GENTILE
There was plenty of curiosity from journalists about the Nerazzurri
players’ fitness the day before Inter v Napoli, with Andrea Stramaccioni
fielding questions about Fredy Guarin, Marko Livaja, Ricardo Alvarez,
Matias Silvestre, Yuto Nagatomo and Wesley Sneijder.

"Of the players we have in this squad, Guarin is the
midfielder with the greatest margin for improvement. He’s strong
physically, he’s got a change of pace, an eye for goal and he’s
working on the tactical side of his game. I think he’s taken big
strides forward," the Nerazzurri coach observed.

The next topic was Livaja, in the form of questions about a possible January
transfer: "Marko is a very promising youngster who’s showing that
he’s good enough to stay in our squad. He’s not a true target man,
he’s at his best when he plays off a centre forward. He’s also played
wide on the left, cutting inside. If he keeps his feet on the
ground, since he’s a hard-working and modest lad, I think he has a bright future at the
top level of the game. Have I thought about sending him out on loan to
gain experience? That’s something to be considered depending on
whether anyone else comes in. If I didn’t think I could give him much
playing time I’d say so to the club for the good of the boy."

Ricardo Alvarez is not in the squad for tomorrow: "He’s got a
knee problem which worsened after yesterday’s training session. He
didn’t train today. It’s a shame because he was doing well. We’ll
wait for him with a view to the next game."

Stramaccioni was then asked whether Silvestre might play tomorrow: "Matias is a defender who comes into his element when he has to
man-mark. He’s certainly ideal for the sort of game we have tomorrow
but I won’t go into detail about the line-up I’m going to put out
against Napoli."

There was also a question from the Japanese media about Nagatomo, to
which Stramaccioni replied by praising the wing-back: "Every time he
goes out on the pitch, if you ask Yuto for 100% he gives you 101 –
it’s the same whether he starts or comes off the bench. He’s a
fantastic professional, he’s determined to learn, to do things, he’s
always extremely motivated. Against Neftci he proved he can give us a lot
going forward, he can play anywhere, except in goal…"

Naturally, there were also questions about Sneijder: "He was ok
today. Yesterday he had a minor muscle problem and with the doctor’s
agreement he had a day of physiotherapy. Today he trained with the rest
of the group." The coach was then asked what he thought of the comments made by the
player’s wife on Twitter, namely that he wasn’t injured: "What
matters to me is what the player tells me face to face, I’m not
interested in anything else. Am I finding this situation difficult?
Everyone has a different character. With the character I have, I’m not
finding it difficult."

Stramaccioni: "We must play like Inter"

APPIANO GENTILE – "We must play like
Inter." That’s what Andrea Stramaccioni wants from the Nerazzurri as they
build up to tomorrow’s game against Napoli. And it’s what he’s sure
he will see at the Meazza. "We have three [league]
matches before the break and we must do the best we can in them, starting
tomorrow. I’m utterly convinced we’ll produce a real Inter
performance."

The coach continued: "I think the games against Juventus, Fiorentina and AC Milan made us realise that we’re in the mix, that we can compete against anyone,
biggest regret. Having said that, we’ve learnt and improved after our defeats
as well. Tomorrow we have a great opportunity against a direct rival,
a team in top form – it will be wonderful game."

Antonio Cassano is back in the squad for a Serie A match having
featured in the Europa League during the week. The coach was asked
how important it is to have him available again: "He’s certainly important, just all the
others who wlil play tomorrow are important. We did miss Cassano but I
don’t want to place too much importance on his return. Antonio is
an extra resource for us: besides his footballing ability he also
adds personality to the team."

Twenty-three Nerazzurri in squad for Inter v Napoli

APPIANO GENTILE – Andrea Stramaccioni has included 23 players in the matchday squad for the 2012/13 Serie A Week 16 fixture against Napoli, to be played at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday 9 December at 20:45.

Goalkeepers: 1 Handanovic, 12 Castellazzi, 27 Belec;

Defenders: 4 Zanetti, 6 Silvestre, 23 Ranocchia, 28 Pasa, 31 Pereira, 33 Mbaye, 40 Juan Jesus, 55 Nagatomo;

Midfielders: 14 Guarin, 17 Mariga, 19 Cambiasso, 21 Gargano, 24 Benassi, 41 Duncan, 52 Romanò;

Forwards: 7 Coutinho, 8 Palacio, 22 Milito, 88 Livaja, 99 Cassano.

Appiano: final workout before Napoli encounter

APPIANO GENTILE – Inter were at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti this morning to run through their final preparations before tomorrow evening’s match against Napoli.

Snow had settled all around the training ground but the pitches were perfectly clean thanks to undersoil heating. The Nerazzurri got stuck into a brisk warm-up to fight off the biting cold, then carried out ball possession drills followed by technical and tactical work.