UEL, Vaslui v Inter: pre-match programme

MILAN ? Inter are to set to face off
against SC Vaslui in the first leg of the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League
play-offs on Thursday 23 August 2012. The game will be played at the
Stadionul Ceahlaul in Piatra Neamt at 20:45 CET (21:45 local time).

Here is the pre-match schedule for
Wednesday 22 August, in accordance with UEFA guidelines:

10:00 (CET) ? FC Internazionale
training at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti in Appiano Gentile
(open to the press for 15 minutes; entrance from 9:45);

19:00 (local time) ? FC
Internazionale press conference at Hotel EMD in Bacau;

20:30 (local time) ? Sporting Club
Vaslui training at the Stadionul Ceahlaul;

21:30 (local time) ? Sporting Club
Vaslui press conference at the Stadionul Ceahlaul.

Appiano: 3rd session, tactics and sprint work

APPIANO GENTILE – This morning the Nerazzurri carried out their third training session in preparation for the forthcoming UEFA Europa League fixture against Vaslui. The team will set off for Romania after training tomorrow ahead of Thursday’s first leg at the Stadionul Ceahlaul in Piatra Neamt (kick-off 20:45 CET, 21:45 local time).

Andrea Stramaccioni and the coaching staff put the players through an intense warm-up, some sprint work, tactical drills and a training match on a small pitch.

Cassano set for Inter swap

Cassano has been with the Rossoneri for 18 months but has now decided that he would like to go elsewhere and AC Milan are ready do business with their city rivals.

A swap deal involving Pazzini is understood to be on the agenda as he is the type of out-and-out striker that AC Milan are lacking following Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure, while Inter want a player with Cassano’s creativity.

AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani told Mediaset: “There is a negotiation ongoing with Inter, it is useless to deny it.

“In the past there have been many exchanges between the two Milan’s clubs.

“There are two weeks until the end of the market. Something will happen.”

Galliani added on the Milan Channel: “Antonio has asked to be sold, let’s see what happens. The most probable scenario is a swap.”

Sublime

AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri is resigned to losing Cassano and has admitted that he is an admirer of Pazzini, although he has indicated there could be other options.

“I’m sorry for Antonio because he is a player with sublime qualities, but he wanted to go away and I think it is wrong to keep a player against his will,” said Allegri.

“There is a negotiation in progress and we expect developments.

“Pazzini? He is definitely a great striker, but there are many high-level forwards in Italy who could be right for us.”

Inter could sell Maicon

The Brazilian has long been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and the big-spending London club are known to be keen to solve what has been a problem position.

Branislav Ivanovic has mainly been used at right-back but the Serbian is known to prefer playing in the centre of defence.

Maicon will next summer be out of contract at Inter and so the club could prefer to sell now rather than risk losing the 31-year-old for nothing in 12 months’ time.

Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni told Sky Sports Italia: “Maicon is the strongest right-back in the world. We all are fond of him, all at Inter love him.

“However, for some evaluations, affection does not count so much. Let’s see what happens in the coming days.”

Appiano: second session ahead of Europa League

APPIANO GENTILE – Inter’s second training session ahead of their Europa League tie has just finished. The Nerazzurri are in action on Thursday 23 August at the Stadionul Municipal Ceahlaul in Piatra Neamt (kick-off 20:45 CET, 21:45 local time). After a warm-up with the ball, training continued with drills on tactics and technique before finishing with a short match.