APPIANO GENTILE - Here's the second half of the interview Antonio Cassano gave to Sky Sport Italia.
Clear this one up for us: did Andrea Stramaccioni do a good imitation of you in the tunnel at the derby or not?
"There he made me look... like a mug. But he's a lovely bloke, a great person, a coach who really knows what he's doing. This is a tough time but I think Inter and our fans should be very proud of our president. Our president keeps us very calm, he's unique, nothing like all the other false people and phoneys you get in football - at big and small clubs alike."
You seem to already have a great understanding on the pitch with Mateo Kovacic. Is he really a big talent?
"I saw him in the first training session and he's got great ability. Inter have spent big and spent well on him, he'll be here for the next ten years. He'll become a great player, I'm 100% sure of that."
Have you heard from Balotelli?
"No."
You've had quite similar careers, you've both played for big clubs as well as for both Inter and AC Milan. At Balotelli's age, who'd made the headlines more for the wrong reasons, you or him?
"There's one difference: he probably likes being in the papers, whereas I don't. But I did a lot worse. I left training sessions, I drove my car onto the pitch, you name it, I did it. He's a good lad. Honestly, I know him well. I got up to more than my fair share of 'Cass-antics'. I was kicked out of five clubs, imagine what I did to deserve that."
Does the derby scare you?
"Absolutely not. I'm sure my team-mates and I can get back to our best this Sunday and go on an unbeaten run like we did in our first meeting against them this season."
Is Yuto Nagatomo the player who's been on the receiving end of your jokes more than anyone else?
"Yuto makes me laugh. There's always something I can say or do to him, you ask him one thing and he replies with another. He always makes me laugh, he's a joker!"
Did you ever imagine that a ballboy wouldn't give you the ball back. What went through your mind yesterday?
"Everything you can think of, but when I was a kid and Bari were winning, I used to waste time too. So I need to accept it! But I was about to lose it on Sunday... But he was just a kid, you could say 'he did well.'"
Do you have a farewell message for Wesley Sneijder?
"Absolutely. I'd like to wish him good luck but it'll always be 'Forza Inter.'"
How do you need to approach the Chievo game?
"We need to show what we're about and the crowd will help us from
the first whistle to the last. We need to win on Sunday, one way or
another, and get back to winning ways."
