MILAN – A journey within the talent. Ricardo Alvarez is a footballing land yet to be fully explored but Inter and their fans have already seen flashes of his quality in his first season in Italy - though it has taken him a while to adapt and he's had his share of bad luck, having been sidelined until yesterday's game against Siena.
All this and more awaits tonight in Prima Serata, the interview programme hosted by Inter Channel director Edoardo Caldara, who went on a tour of Alvarez territory following the route suggested by the Nerazzurri fans who wrote in with their questions.
Don't miss the full interview on Inter Channel at 21:00 and more exclusive previews on the hour until then on inter.it.
"All these messages from the fans are important for me; their words give you a boost. I have to prove out on the pitch that the fans are right," Ricardo Alvarez stressed in reply to the mass (and 'mass' is the right word) of emails, faxes and letters. Being the experienced journalist that he is, Caldara teased more out of him: "My position on the pitch? It depends, it can change from game to game: you get opponents who leave space in the middle so you can fit in behind the two strikers, then you get teams like Siena who pack the centre of the park, so you need to go wide to find some breathing space before cutting inside again to cross or shoot."
Alvarez is quick off the mark, as you can tell from the way he answers even the most awkward questions: "I understand the fans and I understand their boos. They're used to seeing a different Inter, with different players who had different skills. Those of us who have joined now must prove we are up to playing for Inter and win people over with our performances on the pitch." To pass what are known as the 'San Siro exams', Ricardo has chosen a study path that requires time but one that we're sure will lead him to him making the grade. "You'll always find people who don't like the way I play. I think there are various ways of showing your determination on the pitch and two in particular: fighting for every ball as if it were the last tackle, running around all the time trying to get there before your opponent, or – and this is the way I see football – you can show your desire and personality by always wanting the ball and putting yourself in positions to receive it – that too is a form of determination and courage. Compared to when I arrived, I'm playing with more confidence now and my tactical awareness has improved a great deal because this is the school of Italian football – tactics reign supreme here and in that respect I was lacking before. But I'm still enjoying myself just as much: when I was out for two months I couldn't wait to return. I think I can say that Italian football is my football now and also that I still have plenty of room for improvement. I understand even better now what I have to do in this game."
At this point of the programme, the fans who wrote to Inter Channel interrogated Ricardo - through Caldara - on the role his coaches have played in his development: "Ranieri taught me a lot, he gave me confidence and continuity. I thank him for that and I think he did an excellent job with me. I like Stramaccioni. It's a huge challenge for him but he's a very good coach and he knows how to speak to the players' hearts and to the team. He's young too, and like me he has a lot to learn, but he knows his stuff and he's very attentive. What did he say to me before the Siena game? Besides giving me tactical instructions he asked me to believe in myself, to do the things I know how to do."
Words that hit home, especially in the second half of last night's match. And you can hear them from Alvarez himself tonight on Inter Channel's Prima Serata, starting at 21:00.
