Mancini’s press-conference ahead of the derby

Inter will face their toughest test of the season thus far tomorrow against rivals AC Milan. Today Roberto Mancini gave his pressconference ahead of the match:

Will Miranda make it in time for the match?

“I will decide tomorrow morning. We will also be able to see some signs in the coming hours. If he were to play it would definitely be a risk. We don’t want to take any risks.”

Who are the favorites?

“Since Milan have won the last 2 derbies, they are the favorites.”

Are you expecting to see improvement?

“We are not performing at our max yet. We have to do more.”

Who will you chose to replace Miranda?

“They are all ready, and are feeling good. We will see who will play because there are two options.”

What would three points mean to the team?

“There would definitely be more enthusiasm, and the mood would be calm. Nothing will change. This is only the third matchday.”

Do you have good words to say about Mihajlovic?

“He is at Milan because he chose to go there. We will be ‘enemies’ for a couple of hours.”

Are you expecting a vibrant match tomorrow?

“We are convinced that we want to have a great season. The result is not decisive, but we want to win it and have a fantastic year.

Will you exclude the possibility of reverting to a three man back-line?

“I will not exclude any possibilities. I do not think it will be likely though.”

Will Icardi play?

“Yes. He’s fine and yesterday he was able to do everything required.”

Which areas of the pitch will be decisive in the match?

“The goal (sarcasm).”

Could many newcomers to the derby prove a problem?

“I do not think that it will. You also have to see who will play. Everyone knows Italian football now apart from Telles and Perisic.

Will Medel play every game despite all of the new arrivals?

“It is hard to always play. Medel has it all: determination and quality.”

Do you regret what you wrote in the letter?

“That was just a fun game. Inter and Milan are growing and will soon return to the top, where they belong. We want the stadium to be full, and tomorrow it will be.”

Speaking of injured players, who would you like to recover for the match?

“Injuries are a part of the game. Miranda has done well, and I hope he returns as soon as possible.”

What do you have to say about your long relationship with Mihajlovic?

“I think it is better to lose against a good friend. This will not be the case tomorrow night.”

What do you think of Milan’s counter attack? Who has more to lose?

“Milan are a great team, and are very dangerous upfront. They know how to play other styles as well. Even Bonaventura is important, and he can play good football. I do not know who has more to lose. This is only the beginning of the season, and it will not change anything.

Is Telles ready to play?

“He is young, and it is his third year of playing high-level football. He did well at Galatasaray. Telles is good with his feet, and could be a potential national team player. He reminds me of Maxwell.

Good afternoon Mr. Mancini. You have known Mr. Mihajlovic for more than two decades. From a technical point of view, what similarities and what differences do you think there are between coach Roberto Mancini, and Sinisa Mihajlovic? (Nima Tavallaey Roodsari)

“I am not sure. At the moment both teams are playing a 4-3-2-1 formation with a diamond in midfield. We play similar styles. I am not sure what the differences are between him and I because I have my opinion about football and Sinisa has his.

What are some of the differences? You have known each other for such a long time. You have played together and coached together. (Nima Tavallaey Roodsari)

“I am not sure what the differences are because I do not know what he is thinking about right now about tactics. I think that he knows football very well. At the moment Milan can change systems because they have very good players.

Who will play on the right side of midfield?

“We have a lot of options. We can use different players in different positions. The players are fine after returning from the international break.”

Does Melo have the legs to play 90 minutes?

“He is doing well. I thought that he would be in a bad physical condition, but he had been training with us.”

If Ranocchia starts, could the captains armband be handed over from Icardi to him?

“I would still pick Mauro as the captain”

Would you ever coach Milan?

“I do not think that I want to. It has never been proposed to me.”

How important will Perisic be to Inter?

“He is in a good physical condition and he is a great player. He is used to playing big games.”

If you were a fan, what would you hope for tomorrow other than collecting the three points?

“We just need to win. This is the third match, and there are a lot of matches remaining.”

Could Perisic play as a trequartista?

“He is an attacking player, and can fill many roles. Tomorrow we will evaluate the conditions of other players and decide what happens.”

What does the Milan derby mean to you?

“It has always been a very important match. We must bring it back to the level is used to be at a couple of years ago. We want to build a good team that can excel and help bring back the derby.  A derby no matter what is important. The Milan derby differs to the Genoa derby because the two teams here have always fought for honors.”

Source: FcInternews.it