Ausilio: ‘Gnoukouri a great story’

Inter director Piero Ausilio hailed Roberto Mancini for gambling on teenager Assane Gnoukouri in the Milan Derby.

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“It’s a great story to see this 18-year-old in his first Inter season, to go from 10 minutes against Verona to making his first start in a derby,” Ausilio told Sky Sport Italia.

Inter director Piero Ausilio hailed Roberto Mancini for gambling on teenager Assane Gnoukouri in the Milan Derby.

It kicks off at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), click here to follow our LIVEBLOG.

“It’s a great story to see this 18-year-old in his first Inter season, to go from 10 minutes against Verona to making his first start in a derby,” Ausilio told Sky Sport Italia.

“The lad has quality and Mancini has been thinking about this all week, so it was a well-considered decision.”

Xherdan Shaqiri and Lukas Podolski are dropped, a surprising climbdown for the big January signings.

“The Coach wanted to confirm the shape that had done so well against Verona and therefore give consistency to the side.

“If Hernanes plays, then Shaqiri is out, but that’s only a temporary issue tied to tactics more than anything else.”

Ausilio was asked about Palermo’s €40m-rated Paulo Dybala and did not hold back.

“We have never disguised that we are very interested in him. In fact, we had already been tracking him in the Argentine second division, though at that time he was not ready for Inter.

“This is an idea and something we want to work on with very particular attention. There’s no point trying to deny our interest, as people ask me every day!

“It’s also a good way of showing the lad that we are courting him seriously and openly. Will words be enough for Maurizio Zamparini? I doubt it!”