Speaking in an interview with Inter TV, former midfielder Dejan Stankovic discussed several moments from his career with the club.
“Inter is almost like a second skin, I grew up in the Red Star academy but I ended up having great years at Inter. After arriving, I said I wanted to finish my career at Inter and that was the case. Even after the end of my contract with Inter some offers arrived but I didn’t feel like accepting,” he started.
“I spent little time with Inter when they didn’t win. I arrived in January 2004, a year in which a new Inter was built, with some changes, we then started winning in 2006. Players with great character arrived, without taking anything away from the players who were there before, but Inter is a great club and the goal is to stay high.
He was then asked for his thoughts on current Inter manager Antonio Conte and whether he would like to work under him.
“Yes I would. When he arrived he did an interview and I immediately said that he is a great professional who will immediately change Inter. After three months you can already see this, the players follow him and San Siro is full which is a important thing.”
He then recalled two of the goals he scored in the Milan derby.
“In 2006/07 I scored. Roberto Mancini teased me that I couldn’t play a nice ball, take a nice corner or cross. Hernan Crespo’s goal came off my cross and then he told me I never scored and I went on to score the third. It was a nice derby, it was very important.
“The second derby goal came in Jose Mourinho’s second game. I had dinner with Thiago Motta, Julio Cesar and Wesley Sneijder. We all scored goals whilst Julio had a good game. They were two beautiful goals, two beautiful derbies but if I had to choose, I’d choose the second one.”
He also reflected upon two more of his memorable goals, long rang strikes against both Genoa and Schalke.
“They are two goals not from just outside the box but from deep in the midfield, I am very lucky. The one against Schalke was beautiful but I am sorry that the result of that game overshadowed the goal. It was a really crazy goal and very strange.”
He also spoke on former teammate Sinisa Mihajlovic, who is currently battling cancer.
“Sinisa is the godfather to my children, he is more than a friend, he is a point of reference in my life. He is a warrior, he must continue to fight, we are all with him. He has shown his strength against the disease to all of Italy and to the world.”
Next he was asked if he misses playing.
“At first I missed it. The first year is very difficult. You are used to that all your life, with your adrenaline going at a thousand miles an hour and you then find yourself not knowing what to do. Sometimes when I see the pitch, especially the full San Siro, you get flashbacks.”
He was then asked for his thoughts ahead of Inter’s match away to Borussia Dortmund.
“It won’t be an easy game, I hope they are all well available because we will have to play one game after another. I don’t know Dortmund, I’ve never played them but I know the yellow wall: 25,000 people create a beautiful atmosphere. I expect a great Inter, it will be a tough game for them.”
