MILAN – Roberto Samaden was full of praise for the Nerazzurri Primavera after their derby victory against AC Milan this evening.
"Getting into the Final Eight wasn't a foregone conclusion as physically it wasn't easy after Viareggio and the Coppa Italia," said the Nerazzurri youth-team boss to Inter Channel. "Breaking the deadlock in the first half and holding onto our lead thanks to Ionut Radu, who's a big player and deserves all the praise, ensured we were able to get the three points.
"We've negotiated a huge obstacle and next Saturday we'll wrap up the regular season against Perugia, then we'll focus on the final stage.
"As for people saying Inter play bad football, I accept criticism but people who talk about others show a sign of weakness. We never do it. I think this team have had a magnificent season and shown they're a great side."
Next up to hear from Samaden was Sportitalia: "It was a fantastic game, credit to Milan as well. The result is down to two extraordinary goalkeepers. We were under pressure but once again this group proved they're able to deal with it and fight.
"Stefano Vecchi is doing a great job and that's been proved again this season, as the squad was different compared to last year.
"We're a true team and the decision to hire a coach who's already had experience in professional football is paying off. If it were up to me, he'd stay here for life but he deserves to be back working with a senior team.
"I'd like to underline Radu's performance. Normally I never pick out individuals but today I think it's fair that I make an exception.
"As for the Final Eight, there are going to be some very strong teams. We've made great progress and we'll try to make life difficult for everyone."