APPIANO GENTILE – Back in the squad list for tomorrow's game is Walter Samuel, a player whose return Andrea Stramaccioni described as "of fundamental importance" heading into tomorrow's match against Sampdoria. "Not only for his ability as a footballer but also for his leadership skills. We know that this team's tactical evolution was partly down to Samuel's experience. He offers us an extra weapon."
Despite the inevitable fatigue accumulated in the 120 minutes against Tottenham, Stramaccioni believes that "Thursday's game has given us strength and a huge psychological boost. Often the head commands the legs more than you'd think."
The Nerazzurri coach was then asked how decisive this weekend's fixtures might prove come the end of the season: "At the moment I think Inter need to focus on themselves and nothing else. On other occasions we've looked at other teams' results, last Sunday too... I think that whatever happens this Sunday no result is going to be decisive. We've already paid the price for our Europa League commitments and this time we used up twice as much energy. Let's start winning and then we'll see where we end up."Stramaccioni was also asked for his take on recent comments made by Walter Mazzari - that with a different coach Napoli might have ten points more. And also Mazzarri's view that results change things and that it's normal to always feel as if you're in line for criticism. "No, ten points are a bit too much, come on..." Stramaccioni smiled. "Personally I feel as if I come in for criticism constantly, since the day I arrived. I might be the coach of Inter but given my age I'm a rupture in the system. All I can do is give 101% in every game. When we had fewer problems, we showed we were capable of playing at a very high level. We've been through highs and lows and we're obviously not happy with the lows. In some of those games nothing came off for us whereas in others you could see that we were working. Working on the pitch is in my blood. I don't think my players have ever given up, they've always given everything they've got. Whether the president shows me the door this evening or keeps me in the dugout till 2015, I'll know that I've always given everything. We've rarely been able to put out a full-strength side and we've had to pay a heavy price for our injuries, but we've always tried to respond to the difficulties. And that's what we'll keep doing."
