APPIANO GENTILE - The last game of the season, and with it the last episode of "A tu per tu" on Inter Channel. Ahead of Lazio v Inter, Javier Zanetti is the guest on the show presented by Roberto Scarpini.
It's time to look back on this season. Let's start with records. Can we at least define this season as a record-breaking one for you personally?
"On a personal note, yes, I've broken a lot of records this year. But sadly it's been a very unusual year for the team, with numerous problems, changes in coach and injuries. We've never found consistency. At the end of the season, however, we've at least found enough consistency in our results to still have a chance of getting into the Champions League, seeing as we're already in the Europa League."
What happened with Gian Piero Gasperini and Claudio Ranieri, who always had the full backing of the players?
"We all showed desire when things were going well, both the coaches and we the players, but unfortunately we were inconsistent. With the first coach, Gasperini, his ideas for the team in the opening few games didn't match our expectations, we lost a lot of games and that's why the decision was taken to bring someone else in. Then Ranieri came in, a coach with a lot of experience, and with him we were able to put a little run together, but again we had a setback and we couldn't get back up again. It was like this until Stramaccioni took charge, he's very young, in fact he's 3 years younger than me," smiled Zanetti. "He's got a clear vision for the club though and he's allowed us to at least hope that we're 90 minutes from making the Champions League qualifiers."
Would you say that Stramaccioni has managed to rediscover that strength that was always there in the players, the players who have won everything there is to win, but that perhaps you'd lost confidence after a series of defeats?
"It could be the way you read things, because you start you ask yourself questions when results aren't going your way. The squad perhaps lost confidence because we weren't sure of what we could achieve. This doesn't mean we were lacking desire - we've always had that - the squad has always been together, it's just that we went through so much, that those problems came about. We've rediscovered our confidence because results help a great deal."
Did it not anger you when you heard Rafa Benitez saying the players no longer wanted it?
"It irritated me because I could see that it wasn't the case. I've trained with my team-mates every day for years and I remember that when he coached us the players gave their all, because the aim was to bring success to Inter. Let's not forget we won the Super Cup and the Club World Cup while he was in charge. We would never have won those titles had we not still been hungry for success. Before you can comment on something you need to know the facts and the reasons why things happen."
Last week Julio Cesar said he couldn't wait for the start of next season.
"I agree with him. Now we've got one game left and then we can look back over the last 8 years and this is the first tough year we've had, having won everything over the last seven. It might be that this moment was bound to come along sooner or later, and it all happened to us in the space of one season. Now everyone has it in their mind to go again, to change the way things are going, so that we can once again challenge for the positions that we've been accustomed to over the last few years."
So the sharp mind of a young coach like Stramaccioni might be the best thing for Inter at a time like this?
"Yes, we like Stramaccioni. We enjoy training with him, he gets us all involved in the sessions, he's got a good vision for the club and he's very calm. All we're interested in doing is performing well for the club and getting back to winning ways."
You play to win, so do you like having a coach who tells you to go out and win by attacking?
Yes, because we're a side which is set up to attack, so it's a case of striking a balance in every area of the side, but the main aim is still to win all our games."
Tomorrow's game will be a case of waiting and hoping for both Inter and Lazio. How do you approach a game like that?
"Sadly it's not only up to us but I think first of all we need to do our bit and then wait to see if we can get third place, something which seemed impossible a month ago. We know it's going to be very tough but we're used to the fact that in football anything can happen. And why not, perhaps even this time..."
If Inter don't get third place, who deserves it most?
"I think Udinese because they're on a great run, it's a very young side, with a bright coach. I think it's difficult to stay up near the top but Udinese have been the most consistent."
What do you think when you hear talk of betting?
"It's sad these things go on but I think everything is being done to get the credibility back into football. Therefore we, as players, must the be first ones to set the example. Football is such a great game, I hope everything gets resolved and that we can all enjoy great football."
At the start of next season you'll no longer have Ivan Cordoba alongside you to lead the jogging. Who will replace him? Esteban Cambiasso perhaps?
"There are a number of players who could do it, but Ivan will always be Ivan, a great friend of mine, he's like a brother to me. We need to recognise everything he's done for this club and this shirt, it was great to see him smiling on Sunday, he deserved the victory, the surprises and the affection of the fans. I think he'll still be nearby, ready to help out in another role."
