MILAN - President Massimo Moratti stopped outside the Saras offices this afternoon to take questions from the waiting reporters.
President, what's happening to Inter?
"We all hoped for a nice surprise yesterday, a positive result. Perhaps even a draw would have been enough, to halt the run of defeats. That didn't happen so we've got to motivate ourselves again. You have to play every three days in this business so you can't afford to let yourself go. You need to pick yourself up with as much care as possible, and keep hoping even if you do have a threadbare squad."
Do you confirm your unconditional support for Stramaccioni, as you did recently, regardless of how the season ends?
"We're having a difficult season, a dramatic season in terms of injuries, so all I can do is give him my support and help him to invent something that is difficult to invent, but which with a bit of imagination and luck might help you to turn things around."
Is Wednesday your last chance to achieve something tangible?
"It's relatively tangible because it's a semi-final, not a final. But yes, to keep going in something. Unfortunately it's the last thing we've got because there doesn't seem to be much left to think about in the league. Stramaccioni will do what he can and there's no doubt that the players will put everything into it."
Seeing certain refereeing mistakes like yesterday makes you think about Mourinho's words. Before leaving he said "They'll make you pay for it all." Does that go through your mind sometimes?
"Mourinho also said to me, 'How can you stay here with everyone against you? I'm leaving because it's not possible, it's too difficult an experience.' I told him that's exactly where the beauty of Inter lies and he knew it too. In any case, I think it was a genuine mistake yesterday. Pinilla was 'clever' to make it look that way. At the end of the day it did affect us a bit though because it was the first goal. If they can, Inter need to show even more pride. But of course often you can't do that because you're missing players, like yesterday when Gargano got injured for example, and so you end up with a team that no longer has the same potential or attributes to face the opposition."
New foreign partners only for Saras or are you thinking of more backing for Inter too?
"It's ok for Saras."
Are you optimistic about the Coppa Italia, despite all the injuries?
"You have to be optimistic. In other countries you sometimes get amateur teams reaching the final of the national cup so of course you can do it with your reserves."
Could Ricky Alvarez be someone you can build the future on?
"If nothing else he's doing well in the present. Let's watch him in the present then we'll see if he makes his own future."
Could he be the key man against Roma?
"I'd hope so."
President, you've been though worse moments than this, haven't you?
"Worse moments... part of it is how you deal with these moments. In this case you don't know which way to turn because you don't even have the players to be able to say 'let's change this' or that the coach is getting it wrong. You just hope that those who play give their all and get a bit of luck."
What will you say to Stramaccioni and the players to try and get them fired up for the cup semi-final?
"I've spoken to the players lots of times. I think they know exactly how I feel and also what their duties are. They're responsible lads, they're not superficial. They'll do what they have to do."
Don't you think that all these muscle injuries might have something to do with the team's athletic preparation?
"There are lots of things to re-evaluate."
