Dejan Stankovic was interviewed by Rome based Corriere dello Sport where he discussed the game against Barcelona, the upcoming game against Lazio, and some of his history with Inter.
Stankovic stated that “A Champions League clash is always a beautiful match. Inter was very strong in the derby, played with a lot of pressure and had a great rhythm, but they couldn’t do the same thing against Barcelona and I read that Spalletti and Icardi were not happy with how that game went. It can happen when the opponent is that great like Barca was. This year’s Inter is a good group and I noticed it when I went to Appiano. Lazio will have one less rest day than Inter, but at these levels, a few more or a few less hours will not make a huge difference. Inter can redeem themselves against Lazio after the loss in the Champions League.”
What do you think of the duel between Immobile and Icardi?
“It is a duel between two strikers who score a lot but are totally different. Icardi is a very dangerous players and a serious professional, and I saw that when I worked as a club manager at Inter. Immobile has a wider range of movements and can drop deeper than Icardi, he has always done well because he knows how to exploit the opportunities. He is smart and can offer a lot to the national team if he listens to Mancini.”
There will also be a good fight in midfield between Vecino and your compatriot Milinkovic-Savic.
“Inter are in the Champions League thanks to Vecino’s goal against Lazio last season and Inter fans will remember him for a long time. Milinkovic-Savic was put under a lot of pressure by the media and the market rumors after his brilliant season, and now he is getting used to it.”
What do you like the most between Spalletti and Inzaghi in terms of coaching?
“Spalletti is very good and last year he hit his target regardless of the difficulties that he faced. He leads the group and knows how to get the most out of his players. Inzaghi is doing very well with Lazio, I played with him and I can assure you that he’s an exceptional guy who always thought about football 24 hours a day. It does not surprise me that he’s doing so well and you have not seen anything yet. In my opinion, he an become one of the best coaches in the world.”
Did you see Mourinho’s provocative gesture on Tuesday for Juventus fans?
“I call it a joke. He’s teasing because the Juventus fans were laughing at him and he responded by showing them three fingers. I recognized the sign of the treble and it was in full Mourinho style. It was pleasant but not offensive. It means that he still wants to fight even though things are not going his way.”
What is your favorite memory of the Special One?
“The tears at the moment of farewell in Madrid, they were true because he knew he was leaving a great group and I’m very happy to have worked with him.”
Let’s move on to another coach, Mancini.
“He is the right coach for the national team and I’m very happy for him.”
