APPIANO GENTILE – It's Europa League time again and Inter's first Group F match at the San Siro. Qarabag of Azerbaijan are the visitors tomorrow but before looking ahead to the Nerazzurri's second group encounter, Walter Mazzarri reflected on last Sunday's game against Cagliari.
"The way that defeat came about, it wasn't Inter out there. That wasn't us," the coach began, addressing the media at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti. "But then I don't think we're the side that came in for such high praise after the wins over Atalanta and Sassuolo either. You need to maintain a sense of perspective when analysing things."
So how will Inter play tomorrow? "It will be a different game for sure. At least we'll try to go about things differently: we'll fight, harry and chase more. We have to make it clear straight away that Sunday was just a bump in the road for a team that's still finding its way."
The Nerazzurri boss added: "When you have a new group of players and things are going well for you, everything's rosy. But when you run up against difficulties, a more experienced group perhaps knows how to limit the damage. The match against Qarabag will be a useful learning curve for us with a view to Serie A as well."
The coach was then quizzed for an update on the Nerazzurri treatment room, and he revealed that he's optimistic about Kovacic: "Hopefully over the next two days he'll be able to shake off this niggle he has. I hope to have him back in training with the squad on Friday. We'll try to get him fit."
As for his options in the wide berths, Mazzarri explained: "Nagatomo and D'Ambrosio are ok but Jonathan and Dodo won't be available for this game. We also have Obi who at a push can do a job on the left wing: when he's in form he's a player I like a lot."
The topic switched to tomorrow's opposition: "This is a match that's fraught with danger. Qarabag are in rude health. We have to take them very seriously and show that we're a completely different outfit to the one seen against Cagliari."
Mazzarri was also asked about the leaders in his team. "I'll tell you something: when Ranocchia wasn't playing I wanted Vidic to be captain but he declined out of respect for the rest of the team because he's not comfortable speaking the language yet. That was very noble of him. This is Vidic we're talking about, a player who's won everything, but he realises that because of the language problem he's not yet the right person to say 'Come on guys, this is what we have to do' when the team runs into difficulties. Medel is in a similar position."
On comparing this season to last: "We had a good run-in to the campaign last year. President Thohir was able to celebrate us securing fifth place with a game to spare. Things don't change completely in three days. We'll see if Sunday was just a blip – as I believe it was – or not."
Finally, Mazzarri had a word for the fans: "I'd like to thank them because they were behind the team right till the end. My job is to get the players performing at their best. And obviously being the person in charge of the team I'm the one who's most exposed to the flak, but that's normal – I know how this game works."
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LIVE! DIRETTA CONFERENZA STAMPA DI MAZZARRI & ICARDI 1.10.2014
