Roberto Mancini isn’t feeling the heat as Inter defend their four-point lead at Lazio. “Relax, we’ll finish top of the table.”
The Nerazzurri have been in the lead for the last two campaigns on the trot, but their advantage over Roma has been reduced to just four points.
“We’re relaxed, we’ve dominated this championship and will finish top of the table,” reassured the Coach.
“There is nothing to worry about. After all, when we had a bigger advantage I still said we’d have to fight until the end.”
It is evident they have been slowing down lately, as along with the Champions League exit to Liverpool there were costly defeats to Napoli and Juventus.
“We are paying more than others for injuries, as what happened to us has been extraordinary. But this represents another good reason to win this season. If we were four points behind the leaders then it would be a tricky time, but we are four points in front…”
Ivan Cordoba, Walter Samuel and Olivier Dacourt are out for the campaign, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Patrick Vieira, Luis Figo, Cesar Aparecido and Esteban Cambiasso battle fitness worries.
“I was hoping to have them all back for this game, but there is the risk of losing them for another four or five matches, so it is more important to have them later on.”
Yet Mancini has called them all up for tomorrow’s trip to Lazio and the Stadio Olimpico, even if not all will be in the starting XI.
“Ibrahimovic was reassured by his visit with the Swedish doctor. He has been working for three days and I am convinced he’ll soon make the step up in quality.
“The last few games have been unusual for us. We would have won comfortably away to Genoa with all XI men on the field, but incidents changed the situation.
“We can win all eight remaining matches. It has been a difficult month, but now we are improving and the worst is behind us.”
Yet they are fresh from a 2-1 home defeat to Juventus and now travel to face Mancini’s former club Lazio. It has been suggested in some quarters that the Biancocelesti would prefer to lose rather than help Roma take the Scudetto.
“There is no such thing as a player who goes on to the field aiming not to win. Lazio are going to give it their all, but we have to win whether we play well or not.
“The important thing is to get a victory here, then we have a whole week to recuperate. Lazio are back on track after a tricky start and it will be an open game.
“We must be much more attentive in defence and need a real team performance.”
Inter squad: 1 Toldo, 12 Julio Cesar, 22 Orlandini; 4 Zanetti, 6 Maxwell, 13 Maicon, 16 Burdisso, 23 Materazzi, 24 Rivas, 26 Chivu; 5 Stankovic, 7 Figo, 11 Jimenez, 14 Vieira, 19 Cambiasso, 21 Solari, 28 Maniche, 30 Pelè, 31 Cesar; 8 Ibrahimovic, 18 Crespo, 29 Suazo, 45 Balotelli.
