APPIANO GENTILE - "I'm taking tomorrow's match very seriously because it's very important to us: we want to win it to finish the year second." This was how Andrea Stramaccioni began his pre-conference earlier, ahead of Inter v Genoa tomorrow, the Nerazzurri's last match of 2012.
"Genoa aren't on the best run but in a one-off game they can cause problems for anyone. Just look what happened against Napoli, who they countered with a system similar to what I expect tomorrow. Genoa have the ability going forward to create problems for any team. It will be a tricky contest. Tomorrow though we want to - and must - win."
The Nerazzurri coach was then asked to sum up this year: "I think we have to be pleased with what we've achieved since the start of the project, but I'd like to be able to say that tomorrow, in second place ready for the second half of the season. We're thinking about the here and now, we'll try and win the match so we can plan for 2013 beginning in second place. I want to see fight and desire tomorrow, no talk, let's just get on and win the game. It's hugely important, from a psychological perspective too. Either way, we've already laid the foundations to be back competing and to get back in the Champions League."
Stramaccioni had the following to say about Genoa: "You should always respect your opponents, but never fear them. We come into this game with a number of absentees, but we're Inter and we'll start the match tomorrow with eleven players who want to win." The coach also hoped to be able to call upon Fredy Guarin tomorrow: "We've delayed naming our squad because of him, clearly Guarin is our player in the best form, and so we want him to play tomorrow. He's been one of our best players, in an area of the pitch where we're missing six players through injury. If he's been banned they must have found some reasons, but he's assured me that he didn't say anything disrespectful, nor did he approach the assistant: he was punished for intent. We're gutted we might not be able to pick our most in-form player."
