APPIANO GENTILE – Everything. That's what Zdravko Kuzmanovic is going to give for Inter and for his coach, so that he can play his part in the game against Juventus. "I'm better now, I'm recovering well and doing everything I can to be on the pitch on Saturday," the midfielder explained in an exclusive interview with Sky Sport 24's Silvia Vallini. "I'm doing a lot of work with the doc, I'm definitely better but I couldn't put a percentage on it. I came back early from Serbia so that I could work here. The Juve game is massive and as I said I'm hard at it every day so that I can spend as much time as possible with my team-mates."
So how can Inter beat Juventus again? "You have to put in 100%. We're Inter and we can beat anyone. We proved that in Turin and we can do it again. What's the difference between them and us? They're top and we aren't. We're still off the pace in the table, they're doing better this year. But our target remains the same: to get into the Champions League."
Kuzmanovic has returned to Serie A having previously spent two seasons with Fiorentina from 2007. "I haven't noticed much difference between this league now and then although it's hard to say having only just come back. But I've changed: I spent three and a half years away from Italy, at Stuttgart, and in that time I've changed a lot physically. I developed because in Germany they do less on tactics and more athletic work, and I've also matured mentally."
The Serbian has previously said that AC Milan would end the season with no trophies "and today I can say that I was right." But he prefers not to talk about the Rossoneri and when quizzed about Balotelli he replied with a "I'm just thinking about my own team." A message for Juventus? "What is there to say? They're doing great both in Serie A and in the Champions League." Which is the rival to be most feared in the race for third place? "We're only looking out for ourselves. We're Inter, we can beat anyone and that's what we must do."
The conversation then turned to Andrea Stramaccioni. "I like him a lot. He's young but he knows exactly what he wants. He's got a lot of fire in his belly and he wants to improve constantly and win every game. The criticism? You get a lot of that when things aren't going well and you expect it because Inter are a top club. When you're not winning you just have to take whatever comes your way, just as you do with the plaudits when you are winning."
José Mourinho's presence "isn't felt here because Stramaccioni is our coach and we're very happy with him. We want that third spot and we want to carry on with him." So there's no space for Sinisa Mihajlovic either. "As I said, Stramaccioni is our coach. I know Mihajlovic, he's very good and I'm delighted to be able to work with him with Serbia but Stramaccioni's the coach here and I'm happy that way. He wanted me at Inter and I'll do my best for him and for these colours. I've always said that my idols are Zanetti and Stankovic and I hope to become an important part of this club's history like them."
