APPIANO GENTILE - Roberto Mancini held a media conference earlier ahead of training on the eve of his side's trip to Genoa: "We'll decide either today or tomorrow whether to change something because we have another match on Saturday and some of the players picked up a few knocks against Napoli. Genoa are a very aggressive side who run a lot."
On Eder and his return to the Marassi, a sort of personal derby given his ties with Sampdoria: "He hasn't played the last few games but he was always involved before that. Eder is an excellent player and football is bizarre at times. Mauro also went a few weeks without scoring. Eder needs to relax, we didn't just sign him for the rest of this season, we'd like him to stay for a while. Perhaps he'll score some crucial goals in our last few matches this season, he deserves it because of the commitment he's shown and the shift he puts in for the team."
The race is on for third place after the victory over Napoli: "It will all come down to these two matches at Genoa and against Udinese. We need to play well to secure some big points to build on the Napoli match. If not, our fine work will be wasted.
"All teams have highs and lows, everyone has pretty much experienced the same thing we have. It happens abroad too, take Barcelona for instance. There are also sides that have spent hundreds of millions and are scrapping for fourth place. You lose games at times but these things happen. We went through an awkward period where we lost points and didn't deserve to. But I don't see any one culprit for that.
"We've made mistakes like lots of teams but the players have always given 100%. Mistakes happen, you can't avoid them, especially in a team which is still developing. When you're in a transitional phase you can have some excellent, perhaps unexpected results, before then finding yourself in the doldrums with seemingly no explanation. We've dropped points because that's football, things occasionally don't go your way."
The coach has seen a good attitude from his players, even during the tough times: "The lads have always had a positive approach, a good attitude. We have to relax and play to our potential in these last few games."
On transfers and bridging the gap with the league leaders: "Juventus have been winning trophies for years, they improve the side on a yearly basis and so it was only natural they'd recover the points they dropped at the start of the season. It's up to the others to try and strengthen in the right way. I don't think Perisic will be sold, he's only just joined.
"The team is starting to operate like clockwork and is showing greater character in certain matches. The team is beginning to take root and that's important. Consistency would be best, we still have five matches to play and we hope to keep going in this vein."
With Kondogbia suspended, Mancini will have to make some changes in midfield. Once again squad rotation was mooted by the press: "Players always want to start, that's only natural. We've always had some first-team regulars even early on in the campaign, we've not changed too many players."
Finally, a question on Mauro Icardi, a player who's now consistently back in the goals: "I played with Vierchowod who at 32 or 33 years old worked hard every day and kept getting better. Mauro is 23 and it's only natural that he's improving. All the players are very professional and Mauro is improving on a daily basis like the other young guys."
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LIVE! CONFERENZA STAMPA DI MANCINI PRIMA DI GENOA-INTER 19.04.2016 10:15CEST
