APPIANO GENTILE - Inter must focus all their attentions on Cesena and forget about their forthcoming European match until Monday. That was the message Roberto Mancini was keen to ram home during his media conference today as the Nerazzurri head into tomorrow's Week 27 Serie A fixture, sandwiched between a Europa League last-16 tie with German side Wolfsburg.
"There'll be time to think about Wolfsburg afterwards," he stressed. "For now we have to concentrate on Cesena. No one is happy after a defeat and it doesn't leave us in a great position but we can still turn it around. In any case we'll have four days after tomorrow's game to think about how to do that. Right now we have to focus on Cesena because they're in fine form and this is the start of important period for us.
"We have four games before the derby and it's a crucial stage of the season. We want to close the gap with the teams at the top. As long as there are still points to play for we have to keep believing. When I was in England we made up eight points on Man United in six games."
Inter's fixture list is jam-packed at the moment but the coach doesn't feel the strain is getting to his players. "We know what it means to be playing in the Europa League, it's the travelling that's more a problem than anything. But we have young players who can recover quickly. We'll take a look at how everyone's doing tomorrow but I don't think we'll change that much. Juan Jesus won't play because he's suspended. We need to look at Medel because he's barely had a breather and Palacio is a bit jaded, but I think he's ok really. Santon? He'd hardly played in ten months then he came here and has played constantly. He's bound to lose a bit of sharpness."
Mancini then fielded questions about specific players.
"Vidic disappointing? No one's disappointed me. Mistakes happen in football. The main thing is you give your all when you go out there.
"Carrizo isn't to blame. Goalkeepers make mistakes just like anyone else. I'm sorry for him because he's an excellent goalkeeper, just as Handanovic is. He pulled off two superb saves in the first half.
"I hope Podolski will have a good game tomorrow if he plays. Obviously you want your strikers to score.
"It's true that Icardi is one booking away from suspension but he'll play tomorrow. A yellow card isn't a problem for a striker."
"Felipe could make his debut. He can play both at centre-back and on the left."
Asked again about Kovacic's position, the coach explained: “At the moment I think his best position is in the hole or in a wide attacking role.”
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