CATANIA – It wasn't the easiest game for Ivan Cordoba to make his first appearance of the season, as he replaced the injured Walter Samuel in the 62nd minute. "You don't like to come on in situations like that - because of an injury to a team-mate," the defender explained to Inter Channel. "I'd spoken to Ranieri about maybe getting a few minutes in today's game, hoping that it might be the sort of match that would allow me to do that; it didn't turn out that way but when you're on the bench you have to be ready to come on at any time. I think it went better than I thought it would because there was more tension in my head than there turned out to be in reality."
Cordoba then talked about Inter's defeat: "Once we were 2-1 down we went looking for an equaliser. We didn't get it, maybe because we didn't use our heads enough in building up moves. They defended well and were very dangerous on the counter. Naturally with us going for an equaliser, they had more space but we had to go for it."
Cordoba's name isn't on
the Champions League squad list, but he makes no issue of
it because he has full confidence in his team-mates: "We played a very good first half, we were perfectly in control even if we didn't create that many chances up front. Then the game changed completely. I'm sorry I can't help out in Europe but we think Chivu will make it for Tuesday evening against Lille and we have youngsters like Luca Caldirola, who knows he has to be ready when he's called upon. We all have to fight together, stand united and hold firm to pull through this moment."
