APPIANO GENTILE - Ricardo Alvarez is today's guest on "A tu per tu", Inter Channel's pre-match programme.
Between Palermo v Inter and Inter v Palermo Ricky Alvarez has changed a lot. Do you remember how you felt at the beginning of the Inter adventure?
"When I arrived in Milan I was very pleased to be a member of this team. I played well in some matches and not so well in others because football here is very different to what I was used to. Then gradually my confidence grew, I began to understand football here and now I feel better."
How much did Claudio Ranieri help you to make that step up?
"He spoke to me a lot and regularly. He showed me how to play in an Italian team. I was playing in a different way and he helped me understand that I had to play more simply and with more speed. Of course I can't play every match this way, but I continue to do a little more each time I play to achieve the standard I want."
You have great technical qualities, but to express them better they need to fit into a context. Can we say that we'll see them shortly being adapted to suit European football?
"Yes we can say that, but for the moment I haven't reached the level I want. I have played well in some matches but I must still improve a lot in some areas and there are some aspects of my game that are missing."
How much have your team-mates helped you through this period and especially your fellow countrymen?
"They have helped me a lot. Even when I was a bit down, they stuck close to me and reassured me, telling me that during the first matches things were bound to be difficult. They recognise my qualities, now it's up to me to improve them. My team-mates have confidence in me and I have to do my best for them, too."
Tomorrow Palermo will be playing at the Stadio Meazza. Is it good to have the chance to make up for the defeat against Lecce after just three days?
"We need a win to stay on the path we have taken. In my opinion we played well against Lecce, but we didn't manage to score, which is what is required to win. Now we have to play the same match but with goals this time. We are playing well and have the right qualities to do well and win the match."
So we'll meet in May again. How many goals will you have scored?
"That's one thing I cannot say. It's an aspect I have to improve on because now I'm concentrating on setting up my team-mates rather than scoring goals myself. Ranieri keeps on telling me, too: I have to get closer to goal and score."
