Inter Milan News

MONZA – Under coach Devis Mangia, Nerazzurri player Samuel Longo
is preparing alongside fellow Under-21 team-mates to face the Netherlands in a
friendly on Wednesday 15 August at the Cambuur Stadium in Leeuwarden.

"We’re a good group," stated Longo to Inter Channel at the end of
training at the Stadio Brianteo in Monza. "Integrating was no problem. The
coach [Mangia, ed.] is new for everyone. I like his ways of doing things and so does the entire team as well. Similarities between
Stramaccioni and Mangia? Each has their own way of working and doing things.
They’re both good. I’m comfortable with both and I wish them both the
best."

Right now Longo is wearing the Azzurri shirt but the memory of his first match
at the Meazza (with the first team, although he had already debuted away
against Lazio last 13 May) against Hajduk Split is still fresh in his mind:
"Apart from the result, which we obviously hoped would turn out better, I
was very happy to have debuted at the San Siro in the Europa League. It was a
huge thrill. I’m quite happy although we can definitely do better. I was hoping
to get a goal but unfortunately I didn’t manage… But I’m happy to be where I
am."

Then a response to a question regarding his future: "It’s not up to me to
decide. I’m just trying to constantly give my all and take advantage of the
opportunities that come my way. And then should Inter decide to send me on loan
I’d be happy just the same to go somewhere that I’d perhaps find more space.
Will I follow in the footsteps of Mattia Destro? Perhaps I can imitate him in
the sense of doing well like he did. And why not, maybe even better [smiling].
I’m working hard every day and I hope one day to become even better than
him."

LONDON – Massimo Moratti with the
Italian Olympics team. A huge sports fan, the Nerazzurri president didn’t
want to miss out on this last weekend of Olympic action at the 2012 Games in London.

After watching Clemente
Russo take the silver medal in boxing and Inter
fan Carlo Molfetta win gold in taekwondo, Moratti offered his personal congratulations to
the Azzurri heroes at Team Italy’s base in the capital.

The president shared compliments with Molfetta, a huge Nerazzurri fan, and joked:
"You’re a class act. You should join us at Inter!"

Speaking to the journalists present, he then commented on Russo’s
silver medal: "It’s a shame he didn’t win but the other guy seemed
much bigger and in the last round [the Ukrainian] clearly had
the upper hand. Boxing? I’ve always been a big fan."

Moratti was inevitably asked some
football-related questions as well. "Brazil? I only saw a bit of the
game. The Italian Super Cup? They told me the result when I got here.
Napoli deserted the presentation ceremony in protest? They must have had their reasons for it, but I didn’t watch the game so I can’t
comment. Conte’s suspension? It’s in the past now."

MILAN – It’s now 31 years since the passing of Angelo Moratti, a man
considered by all Inter fans as ‘The President.’ A lot has changed
since 12 August 1981, technological advancements have broken down borders, we
live in a fast-paced world in which people are all too often forgotten. Yet Angelo
Moratti is anything but forgotten. He won a lot, he won everything. He was able
to take the club to a plain they perhaps never dreamed they could reach,
because he had the courage to go on an adventure.

When you listen to those who knew and loved him, they paint the portrait of
an unforgettable man, not only for the cups and honours which filled Inter’s
trophy room, nor for his character which marked an important era of the Italian
economy. He was, and is, unforgettable because few men are able to approach life
by staying true to their sense of adventure.

"A genius, someone who could do everything," Massimo Moratti said one
evening two years ago, "in times when ideas could become reality. I was ten
years old and at boarding school when my sister wrote to me to tell me dad had
become president of Inter. At the time (in 1955) everyone wrote letters, there
were no telephones. We all just saw it as another of his great adventures. We
thought dad could do anything and that he succeeded in everything he did."

And that’s just how it was.

LONDON – Juan Jesus tasted Olympic disappointment in the final today. The Nerazzurri defender’s Brazil team was beaten 2-1 by Mexico at Wembley. Peralta grabbed a brace for the Mexicans – the first after just 27 seconds, the second in the 75th minute – before Hulk scored a consolation goal for the Seleção in added time.

Juan, who played the full 90 minutes, can be proud of his achievement all the same: he leaves London with an Olympic silver medal.

MILAN – Between Monday 12 and Thursday 16 August nine Inter players will be
answering the call of their respective national teams for training camps and/or
friendlies.

Here are the details of their commitments:

Fredy Guarin (Colombia): FIFA Representative v Colombia friendly on Wednesday
15 August in Madrid;

Juan Jesus (Brazil): Sweden v Brazil friendly on Wednesday 15 August at the
Rasunda Stadion in Solna, (19:00 BST);

Yuto Nagatomo (Japan): Japan v Venezuela friendly on Wednesday 15 August at the
Sapporo Dome in Sapporo (11:30 BST);

Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands): Belgium v Netherlands friendly on Wednesday 15
August at the Koning Boudewijn Stadion in Brussels (19:45 BST);

Vid Belec and Samir Handanovic (Slovenia): Slovenia v Romania friendly on
Wednesday 15 August at the Petrol Arena in Ljubljana (19:45 BST);

Giulio Donati and Samuele Longo (Italy U-21): Netherlands v Italy friendly on
Wednesday 15 August at the Cambuur Stadium in Leeuwarden (17:30);

Matteo Bianchetti (Italy U-20): training camp in Pinzolo starting Monday 12
August with a friendly against Sudtirol on Thursday 16 (11:00).