Internazionale Main Thread

[Totally FRANK]

[Totally FRANK]

Inter's Stankovic relief
Thursday 11 September, 2008
Inter are breathing a sigh of relief as the injury to Serbian midfielder Dejan Stankovic isn't too serious.

The No 5 picked up a knock in a collision with French ace Thierry Henry during last night's World Cup 2010 qualifier.

There were fears that Stankovic may have suffered serious internal damage to his knee, which would rule him out for several months, but the news is good.

Tests supervised by Nerazzurri doctor Franco Combi have ruled out any long-term problems for Stankovic, who is celebrating his 30th birthday today.

The injury is only a first-degree strain and should heal itself shortly, allowing Jose Mourinho to breathe easy.

French international Patrick Vieira is set to return to the starting line-up for Inter's game against Catania with Sulley Muntari and Esteban Cambiasso making up a three-man midfield.

[Bagg10]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Messinterista]

congrats on the 1k dejan!

ur being to kind to viera, dejan. there is no chance we'll even get 25min out of him. lol

[Lombardiamia]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

[Lombardiamia]

[giacinto facchetti]

[Marco Materazzi]

[red]

Mourinho has almost always played 4-5-1/4-3-3.

It will take a sustained period of that formation not working before he will consider changing shape.

[Lombardiamia]

[Messinterista]

[red]

[Marco Materazzi]

[Dejan-Stankovic]

Inter don't go into this game in perfect condition. Are you worred about this situation?

"No. We go into this game in perfect condition. It will be very difficult for me to choose because there are a lot of us and Jimenez and Stankovic are the only ones who can't play. There are twenty-eight players in the squad because I obviously consider Bolzoni and Santon part of the squad. Only eleven can play and seven go on the bench, and I have twenty-six available, so imagine how difficult it will be to choose... We're in very good condition. I have spoken on the phone to the players back from South America and they told me they're fine and that they want to play. Everything is fine."

Is Santon likely to make his debut?

"No, I don't think so. I think Maicon will play because physically he's a very strong player. He arrived this morning and he wants to play, and when a player tells me this I have faith in what he tells me."

Not even six or seven names?

"Hmm... Maicon will definitely play because I just said so. Then Maxwell. Muntari, Ibra and Quaresma. So you have the headline as well: 'Quaresma's debut'... Cordoba and Materazzi? I also have Burdisso and Chivu."

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Great news here. Even if some is psychologicaly inspired, he say's we have Burdisso and Chivu available as well! Apparently the only players unavailable are Stankovic and Jimenez so that must mean Dacourt, Vieira and Samuel are almost ready to go.

[Totally FRANK]

Inter have played a few players out of position in your first two competitive matches. Will we see Mourinho's Inter for the first time tomorrow?
"It will be the first time that Cambiasso doesn't play in the centre of defence, and this is important. We will play with two true central defenders. I'm not saying that Cambiasso didn't do well against Roma and Sampdoria, but for the first time we will play with Maicon and Maxwell and with two central defenders. This is almost incredible if we consider that this is mid-September, and in any case we haven't lost any other match. We have very good organisation in defence, the team is working well from a defensive point of view. They have to improve to impose high pressing. From an attacking point of view it's very important to play, but we have many solutions and a balance. We have three wingers and Balotelli who can play in a wide role, and four centre-forwards with Cruz who can also play a bit further back. It's a pity that Jimenez and Stankovic are out, but I have many options."

[Messinterista]

match is on at a good time..5 am here in aus..and its on rai to

[Messinterista]

Average Inter Enough Against Catania - Mourinho

Inter coach Jose Mourinho believes that his side do not have to be at their best to win against Catania on Sunday...

The former Chelsea tactician has picked up two draws out of his first two official games in his career with Inter so far, but is confident that his side will triumph against the Sicilians on Sunday.

"It won't be an easy game with Catania," he claimed at first. "We respect the Sicilian side and their mentality, but if we play average and they play at 100% then we will win."

Inter certainly looked average when they took on Sampdoria at the Marassi, but it seems that will be enough for a victory, according to the Special One at least.

However, Mourinho had words of praise for current Catania coach and former Inter goalkeeper Walter Zenga.

"It's not easy to be a legend at such a great club, but he is one. It'll be a pleasure to greet him before the match," revealed the ex-Porto tactician.

"Zenga has said that I am a great coach but that there are lots of great tacticians in Italy and I'm not needed? I don't know whether they said the same thing in Romania when he went to work there," said Mourinho, who has already not endeared himself to the Italian media because of his comments directed at his fellow coaches, specifically Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti and Juventus gaffer Claudio Ranieri.

Catania won their first match 1-0 over Genoa in Sicily and the Elefanti will no doubt be spurred on by Mourinho's comments and will hope for a positive result against the Italian Champions on Saturday evening.

Source: http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=861682

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love it Jose! lets hope we smash them!