APPIANO GENTILE – Inter coach Roberto Mancini held court on a variety of issues as he spoke to the media in his pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s crunch game against Celtic.
"We need to try and continue playing as well as we have been recently. Obviously, the fewer mistakes we make and the fewer risks we run, the better it’ll be for the match. We know it’s not going to be easy.
"The three wins in a row? We’ve not had a single second to relax. We’ve had the best possible preparation for tomorrow’s match because we’re coming off the back of some great performances and results. Having said that, we mustn’t let our guard down. We need to be completely focused from now until the final whistle.
"The San Siro crowd has always been important – it’s down to us to make them want to come to the stadium and cheer on the team. It’s not going to be a simple task tomorrow, we need to have total concentration and not give anything away. Celtic are a team that never give an inch," explained Mancini.
Mancini also looked back to Monday night’s victory over Cagliari: "It’s probably fair to say we were a bit tired after the match in Scotland. Nonetheless, we need to improve the way we hold onto the ball, especially when we’re in the lead."
The Nerazzurri boss was then asked about the jam-packed schedule of matches his team is currently in the midst of: "When I was a player, I always preferred playing as many matches as possible. We’ve found a tactical system that we feel comfortable with and it’s not easy to change quickly. The three wins give us that extra bit of confidence. They’re testament to our hard work, but the league table still isn’t right for a club like Inter. Our aim is to keep growing."
There was also time for a word on leading scorer Mauro Icardi: "He can still improve a great deal because he’s so young. No 22 year old knows everything about being a striker – he can definitely get better in all areas of his game. He can be one of the top strikers around for the next ten years."
Mancini was also asked about several specific players in his squad: "Handanovic has no serious problem. Carrizo is our Europa League goalkeeper, he’s always performed well and should be pleased with his form. Kovacic? He’s got great talent and is still a young lad. It’s a similar story to Icardi. D’Ambrosio and Andreolli are available for selection."
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