Stramaccioni: "All gutted for Milito"

MILAN – Andrea
Stramaccioni spoke to Mediaset Premium after Inter’s first-leg win
over Cluj in the last 32 of the Europa League. The first subject was
of course Diego Milito’s injury after just seven minutes of play. “Yes,
unfortunately that takes some of the shine off tonight’s win, which was
otherwise very positive. It’s his cruciate ligament, a new type of
injury for Diego, nothing to do with the problems he’s had before.
We’re gutted for Diego as a person first and foremost, and then of
course for what he represents as a player. We need to see when he’ll
have the operation. We have to wait for more information, that’s what
doctor Combi told me.”

From the negatives to the positives, and Rodrigo Palacio above all. “Milito is a huge loss for us because
he’s our only out-and-out centre forward. We’d planned for him and
Palacio to play part of the game each tonight to keep them both
fresh, but when you get injured seven minutes into the match it’s just
sheer bad luck. We’re all saddened, all of us, and I feel
particularly close to the lad personally. We’re all very down about
it.”

Stramaccioni also commented on Kovacic’s full debut and his decision to go with a diamond formation in midfield: “I think everyone can
see the talent of this boy we’ve signed. He’s taken no time at all to
get to grips with what I want from him, to operate as a deep-lying
playmaker, and I think the goal he set up for Palacio just capped off his display. He’s a modest lad by nature, now it’s up to me to
look after him.

“I think we’ve done well playing with a diamond in the last
two matches, I’ve been pleased with our performances. Our game’s coming
along too thanks to the work we’re putting in. We have a really
tough trip to Florence now but we go to any ground and try to play like
Inter. I also think we’ve improved our defensive solidity a lot.”

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