In looking ahead to Genoa on Tuesday, Claudio Ranieri has again discredited the notion that Inter have turned a corner.
The Nerazzurri have barely been able to digest the weekend’s performance against Fiorentina” data-scaytid=”3″>Fiorentina as they find themselves in action on Tuesday night against Genoa in Week 11’s rearranged fixture.
In looking ahead to Genoa on Tuesday, Claudio Ranieri has again discredited the notion that Inter have turned a corner.
The Nerazzurri have barely been able to digest the weekend’s performance against Fiorentina as they find themselves in action on Tuesday night against Genoa in Week 11’s rearranged fixture.
The original game was called off after severe flooding hit the area and took a number of lives, something Ranieri took time to acknowledge first and foremost in looking towards the game.
“I think a very important thing, more so than the game, is that people don’t forget. It is necessary that those in charge do something to ensure certain things do not happen again.”
In turning his attention towards on-the-field matters at Marassi, Ranieri reiterated a message spoken after the team’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina at the weekend – Inter are not at a turning point.
“Winning tomorrow would not mean anything in particular except to add three points to the League standings.
“There is no turning point, you know what I think, we are continuing to work as we have always done and tomorrow night we need to do well against a team that knows how to play football, that has many new players, they know how to organise themselves and after seeing them against Siena I can only speak positively of Genoa.
“We must think only of ourselves, of our road, which is not free from incidents. We need to shut up and keep going.”
Diego Milito and Diego Forlan are both in the squad. Milito is thought to still be struggling with the ankle injury that forced him off at the weekend, but Ranieri confirmed it will not prompt Forlan’s promotion into the starting line-up.
“I will take Milito to Genoa and only tomorrow will decide whether or not to field him. Forlan will be on the bench – he is an immense player, beautiful, classy, good temperament and is surely good for Inter.
“He is eager, you must hold him in chains because he always wants to play, he is like [Wesley] Sneijder – always says he is ok. It is up to us to know how to manage him. Forlan is a modern player, he knows more than one role to play and thinks about teamwork and this is very important.”
Douglas Maicon does not travel with the squad despite making his comeback at the weekend.
“I’d rather not risk him, he will play in the next game. I had already explained that, returning from injury, I would provide rest periods. I have told Maicon that he will play against Fiorentina, be rested for Genoa and play against Cesena.”
The Coach was asked his view on Sneijder’s recovery from injury in light of Massimo Moratti’s earlier comments expressing concern at the Dutchman’s continued struggles to reach peak fitness.
“I think the President has said this referring to the fact that at this particular moment it is not good to not have Sneijder.
“He is a big player, this time I want him to come back slowly, I do not want to risk anything. I think the best Sneijder would be wanted by any Coach in the world.”
Week 15’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina saw Inter record only their third home clean sheet of the League campaign.
“I had the feeling that we had taken significant steps forward, we are more solid, but this is due to the team helping out when they do not have the ball. The strikers are no longer just finishers but also defenders. Both [Giampaolo] Pazzini and Milito did a great job for the team.”