MILAN - Andrea Stramaccioni wanted to send a message to Javier Zanetti through
inter.it this morning; today the captain will be released from the hospital
after his Tuesday operation to repair the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered
last Sunday.
"On Sunday, I knew right away that something serious had happened. I had
never seen Zanetti gesture in that way. Javier, as I have always said, is
Inter’s guiding light and to see him leave on a stretcher was a terrible blow
for us – one of the many we’ve suffered this season. But in football, as in
life, you shouldn’t spend too much time looking back. You need to pick your
head up and get going again, to turn the page right away and re-write a new
story that can perhaps turn out better than the previous one.
"Zanetti is not a normal player for Inter. Zanetti is Inter, and, just
like Inter, he has to get past a difficult moment to become great once again.
He’s the captain that boasts a thousand records and he’ll fight like he’s
always done to lead the team again.
"I, for my part, will only be able to thank him for what he has always
given for the shirt, and for what he has always done for me since I arrived.
Now I’m the one waiting on him. I want him by my side as soon as possible to
continue with him, to lead this team to the victories that the club and fans
deserve. His contribution is too important, and we’re all waiting for him so we
can continue making history. The kind of history that, I’m certain, will see
this club playing a leading role in Italy, Europe and the world.
And our captain, Javier Zanetti, will be on the pitch for it."
