In today’s Tuttosport, a long and interesting interview with Fredy Guarin was published. After the “distractions” in January, he is now back with new spirit and new enthusiasm and Inter doesn’t seem to do without him.
Guarin, now you’ll face Torino, against who you scored with a bicycle kick in the season’s first meeting: a crazy game…
“Yes, and we didn’t have much luck that night. We played with a man down and tied the game twice and when we scored 3-2, I was convinced we would win the match. Then came the free kick that allowed them to score when we thought it was over.”
However, it will be an opportunity to bring joy to Erick Thohir who, apart from the Derby, never has seen you win since he became president.
“We must bring joy to Thohir, but also to ourselves because we are in dire need of a win to improve our position in the table.”
Would it be a failure for Inter to not reach Europe?
“That’s the goal we set ourselves, and we’ll do everything to achieve it.”
How much do you miss not playing in the European cups?
“Obviously we miss it a lot, me and the players who have been here for years are accustomed to playing in Europe. Then we’re talking about Inter, not any team: this is a great club and as such we have to play in certain tournaments.”
What signal does the ownership send with the signing of Vidic?
“It’s an important signal for the project that the new president has started: it’s a great champion that will arrive, who has experience for years of being the captain of Manchester United. A player who will do well on and off the pitch. His presence will be important for all the young players who arrived this year and for those who will come. Vidic was just the man that Inter needed.”
How does it affect you that Zanetti could retire?
“It will be difficult to accept for all of us. I for one hope that the captain remains: when you see him train every day, you understand that he wants to continue and that he has the right attitude to do so. I hope that he doesn’t retire.”
Is it true that he still seems to be a thirty year old when he’s with the group?
“No, he doesn’t seem to be thirty years… rather twenty-five.”
Given what happened in January, can we say that you could almost be seen as a new signing for Inter?
“What happened in January was a watershed, there is a before and an after: what happened has given me a lot of motivation and also more responsibility. Seeing all the people who stood by my side made me almost forced to give my answer on the pitch to repay all the affection.”
The truth: did you expect a similar popular uprising against you?
“I knew a lot of people didn’t want me to go to Juventus, but I wasn’t expecting such a powerful manifestation. It was the first time in my career that such a thing happened to me.”
How important has Mazzarri been for you?
“He has always had confidence in me, he knows how I work, what I can give on and off the pitch and he knows me very well, he knows what I’m thinking.”
Is the confidence reciprocated?
“For my part, I have great confidence in his work. I believe in him and what he does for the energy and motivation he gives us every training session. You can see his hand in this team and his determination helps us a lot when we go out on the pitch.”
Guarin, are you missing the extension of the contract until 2017 much?
“My agent will arrive to Milan in a few days to sign, there will be no problems.”
Do you see yourself as a captain one day?
“I don’t know… All I want right now is to win in order to get my name inscribed in this club’s history.”
What’s missing in this Inter to reach Juventus’ level?
“Inter is no longer the team that won it all. We’re building with quality players, but we need a little patience. We’re doing many good things, both on and off the pitch, the players and the club as a whole. There comes a time when they will to start looking at the results of this work. Right now, we only need a bit of patience from everyone, especially the fans.”
At the same time Hernanes was signed…
“To see that Inter has bought such an important champion is stimulating for all other players. Hernanes has great experience and on the pitch his quality is indisputable: he scores, defends, has a good touch, and if the team has problems, he clenches his chest out and wears it on his shoulders with great sense of responsibility.”
Have we already seen the real Guarin?
“I always work to get better and give all I can give. I’m calm because I always try to do my best for the team. It’s true that when Inter’s doing well, I play well and when it’s not going well, I have some difficulties.”
Guarin, you know that the last penalty you received was in May a year ago?
“It’s not normal to not get any penalties for so long, especially when the images speak for themselves in some episodes. But I’m calm because, sooner or later, we will get a penalty. It is useless and detrimental to think too much about these things, but the penalties we haven’t received have punished us a lot because they are many and some drawn results could have been converted into victories.”
Has Rolando returned to the same that you recognize from Porto?
“I know his quality and he can give even more to Inter. But when you judge med and Rolando, you must always keep in mind that Porto was a different team than Inter. Here we are still searching for balance, while Porto was a team ready to win.”
Could Inter be that already next season?
“I repeat, we must be patient, because it will be difficult to become a winning team from one season to another when we have changed everything. We have already taken a step forward with the signings of players like Vidic, Hernanes and D’Ambrosio who will make this team stronger.”
Who of your former teammates from Porto would you like to see again in Milan?
“Fernando and Jackson Martinez, two friends and two very strong players.”
Inter, incidentally, followed Fernando some years ago.
“Yes, but they signed me…”
What will it mean to you to play in the World Cup in Brazil?
“The World Cup is very important for Colombia because it requires many years of work to get there. We know it will be very difficult. We’re aware of our capabilities and know how far we can go.”
Could Colombia go all the way?
“It would be a dream, there are many surprises in the World Cup. We’ll start by winning the first three matches, then we will see.”
Source: fcinternews.it