APPIANO GENTILE - Roberto Mancini held a news conference earlier to discuss the visit of Napoli to the Meazza tomorrow in the big match from Week 33 of Serie A 2015/16. The coach addressed the media in the press room against a backdrop of the new shirt bearing the P Zero logo that Inter will wear tomorrow night.
The race for third place was the first item on the agenda: "We have to think we have a chance given there are still points to play for. Napoli are a top side and they've had a wonderful season even without Higuain. I've always liked Gabbiadini back from when he played at Atalanta. Mertens is fairly well known now too. We'll definitely need to be very wary.
"There are times when the forwards score and other times when they don't. This has definitely been our Achilles' heel since the get go," continued Mancini. "I hope tomorrow's match will be a good one because it's a meeting of two good sides and there will be lots of top players out there.
"I believe the aim of the president, just like me and everyone else, is to improve the team on a yearly basis. I don't think there's any urgency on that. The team is beginning to take shape with a spine for the present and future. What matters is having first-team regulars. The next six matches won't be easy, against solid sides, some of whom have nothing to lose."
On his relationship with Mauro Icardi: "There have never been any issues between me and Icardi. Obviously a player is never happy when they're out of the team but that doesn't mean there's a problem."
On Kondogbia and Alex Telles: "Geoffrey probably needs a bit of time, he joined from a different league to this one. He's been on the bench of late because he's been injured. Now he's fit again. Alex is a young player, who moved to Galatasaray when I was there, and joined from the Brazilian league where he hadn't even featured for a year. He probably needs to settle a bit more, it's just a question of time."
Finally a word on Manaj and Gnoukouri who won the Primavera Coppa Italia on Wednesday: "They've both featured for the first team and, just like all young players, they need to play. Rei is perhaps a bit more physically ready and I believe he can also have a bright future at Inter. Assane needs to play because it's detrimental when players are simply training. I hope he gets a few opportunities between now and the end of the season."
