MILAN – "I knew, we knew very well that we were in a difficult situation. We had a couple out there who weren't properly fit, like Gargano who had a swollen ankle that made it hard for him to walk, and Cambiasso, who was passed fit at the last minute." That's how Andrea Stramaccioni began after Inter's draw with Genoa, before adding: "I want to congratulate the lads anyway. If you think that we conceded with a quarter of an hour to go then left the pitch disappointed not to have won... We showed a magnificent response. Clearly we're disappointed because that Livaja situation was ridiculous. Now we need to take a complete break from it all and come back ready to start again strongly."
The coach continued: "I think we began well but then we lost our way a bit - partly because of Alvarez's injury - but still remained in control of the game. I asked Chivu to go out there and make things happen for me and we managed to create more that way, then Immobile did well to beat Ranocchia and catch out Handanovic with his shot. At that point Inter might have disappeared from the scene but we didn't. We'll reach the halfway point in form."
Stramaccioni was then asked if his team need a player like Paulinho: "There's no point talking now about what we might need. We had a difficult situation today and my players deserve credit. We still have the chance to have a great 2013 with the groundwork we've laid this year. Immobile's goal? Everyone knows he's right-footed so we tried to close off that avenue for him. Fair play to the lad for dummying and going the other way. Ranocchia had a great game, 7 times out of 10 I think Immobile would have gone right, which is where Ranocchia shut him out."
