APPIANO GENTILE – Roberto Mancini is preparing for a "special and important" match against Juventus but one he doesn't feel will be decisive for the league standings.
"Games against Juventus are always special and they always mean a lot," the coach told journalists at a news conference ahead of the Week 27 fixture. "They've won the league several years in a row whereas we've improved a lot as a team in the last two years and we'll keep getting better. I don't think you can say a single game is decisive though, however important it is. There are loads of points left to play for.
"We're capable of playing well and getting a good result, like in every game. We've dropped points at times when we didn't deserve to so winning a match like this would help make up for some of them."
Asked about Erick Thohir's recent visit, Mancini explained: "The president enjoyed meeting the team. We spoke about football and our targets for the short and long term. He didn't need to come and reassure the players."
Much has been made of the formation that Inter could go with against Juventus. "At times we've switched formation and players but all teams do that. I don't think the formation has much bearing on your playing system anyway. We play our game regardless of whether we have three or four at the back.
"We have to show a positive, attacking mindset, which is what we did in the cup match against them despite the final scoreline.
"I've always had the support of the club and everyone else I work with. When you choose to go into coaching you know there will be highs and lows. I'm happy at Inter. I'm focused solely on what I have to do here and on achieving the targets we've set ourselves.
"I'd like to win on Sunday to close the gap on the sides ahead of us. We must try to keep a clean sheet but it won't be easy because they're a dangerous outfit. We'll need to defend very well while getting at them with our own game."
With the race for the Champions League berths hotting up, the manager was also asked for his view on which team is best placed.
"Fiorentina and Roma are ahead of us – not by much, but they are. There are three or four games over the coming weeks that could give us some indication of how it will turn out. AC Milan could work their way back into the reckoning too."
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