Day 4, at sea – After being affectionately mobbed in the ship’s theatre by the Inter fans wanting to have their photo taken with him and get his autograph, Javier Zanetti – from his cabin – spoke to SkySport24 to express his thrill at being aboard the Inter Cruise.
"I'm on a cruise ship with 700 fans and so much enthusiasm, guests of the Royal Caribbean. I’m really happy to be here with them," the captain began. "I'm with my family, extremely happy to be here with so many fans of our Inter. After this phone call, I have to gather myself and practice as, in an hour, the band are expecting me. We’re in for a fun-filled evening tonight, with lots of singing. My family, Inter, these fans, they are all important to me. I’ve spent half of my life in Italy, battling for these colours and that fills me with pride.
"I’ve already seen Franco Combi on board. He’s the doctor who has been working on my Achilles tendon. Everything is going well. The next step, over the next couple of days, is to remove the brace and to start to walk again wearing normal shoes. To continue my rehabilitation. I’ve been able to start it while still wearing the brace and that’s good news. I’m trying to keep fit and not put too much stress on the tendon. Will I be in Pinzolo? If I can’t make it for Pinzolo I’ll certainly make it for America. The thing I’m most focused on is recovering well. I don’t want to rush things, even though I can’t wait to be able to help out my team-mates and my Inter. I hope that happens as soon as possible. Hopefully I’ll only miss a few games at the start of the season, but everything depends on how my Achilles reacts.
"I’d like to thank the Moratti family and everyone at Inter for showing so much faith in me – the club offering me a contract extension is something I’ll never forget. Mazzarri? We’re talking about a coach who has been successful wherever he’s been. I hope, indeed, I know, that he’ll do the same at Inter. We all want to bounce back and get back up to where we belong. Our president and the club will do everything in their power to make this a competitive team again.
"Cassano to leave? I have a fantastic relationship with Antonio. He’s a true champion. I’ve read about the rumour, but I don’t have any idea about what’ll happen. Belfodil? He had a good season. He’s a good player and he wants to prove himself again next season. Let’s wait and see what develops during the transfer window. We’re setting out to be very competitive right from the start of the season: a club such as Inter should always be aiming to win the title. We’ll have to do that right down to the last kick of the season.
"Thohir and Moratti? I know that our president has met up with him. The president loves Inter tremendously. When he makes his decision, it’ll be for the good of Inter. Objectives? To get back playing Champions League football again. I’m disembarking in Crete, a fantastic town with a beach where I’ll take a few days holiday with my family. Then I’ll go to Argentina, where I’ll meet up with my father and my friends."
