APPIANO GENTILE – Inter captain Mauro Icardi, head coach Roberto Mancini and vice president Javier Zanetti have all given interviews to Japanese channel Asahi TV as part of a programme on Yuto Nagatomo.
First up was Icardi, who trains day in day out with Nagatomo and steps out onto the pitch alongside him for matches: "First of all, Yuto is a great team-mate, ready to sacrifice himself completely and give everything he has for the squad.
"Away from the pitch we have a good relationship as well. A group of us often go to the gym with him and do yoga and stretching exercises to relax. As I was saying, he's always ready to help others."
Mancini has fielded the Japanese defender 25 times this season: "Nagatomo is a great player and a great guy. He's played at Inter for so many years and he loves the shirt. He always works hard in training and he's a top professional. That's why he's been able to play for so many years at a club like ours."
Nerazzurri vice president Zanetti was Nagatomo's defensive team-mate from 2011 to 2014: "He immediately became a part of our large family showing humility and professionalism.
"Over the years his performances have become more consistent and he's very generous and ready to help. He's always ready when the team needs him."
