APPIANO GENTILE – "We've lost 10 points in the second half of games. We have to try and hold onto the many good things this team creates. Once we have a result, we must defend it as a family defends a treasure, as you defend something that's very important to you," explained Claudio Ranieri on the eve of the match against Chievo.
The Nerazzurri coach was asked, somewhat provocatively, if the difference between Inter in Serie A and Inter in the Champions League might be the refereeing decisions in the domestic competition. "You get episodes going a certain way sometimes," replied Ranieri. "I repeat that these episodes should be accepted for what they are. When you win, such as when Inter won the Treble, everything goes the right way: injuries, suspensions, the sun, the wind, the rain, the volcano... Everything has to go perfectly right for you to win. I was brought in because things weren't going the right way: the challenge is to take the team back up to the top. I get spurred on when faced by difficulties. I have a team with bags of character, and the difficulties spur them on too."
The coach was then asked whether Lucio was particularly cautious against Lille: "We speak together, we watch the videos. Lucio is a smart lad. He's exuberant and everything he does is always with the best intentions. You have to understand him but you also have to make him realise that while things aren't going perfectly everyone has to do their jobs as carefully as possible."Finally, Ranieri was asked if he would be happy to go into the Juventus match next weekend four points behind them: "I wouldn't settle for anything; I've never done that beforehand. I don't bet on games, I go and play them. I think that in the end you always get what you deserve."
