MILAN – "I’m happy. In the second half we
did much better than we did in the first one. We just needed the right play to
unlock the game. We had so many chances to score." The opening statements
from Hernanes to Inter Channel after Inter v Atalanta this afternoon.

"In football there are days like these,
when you walk off the pitch disappointed after having created so much and
having played so well. For my part, I’m very disappointed because I never like
losing at home. Only winning. We didn’t manage to pull it off today and it’s a
bitter pill to swallow. We’re doing well physically. Today Ricky [Alvarez],
Guarin and I did a good job moving the ball around and creating chances.

"Physically we’re in good shape and ready
for a fantastic end of the season. Today it went badly, but we’ll hold our
heads up because nothing has changed. Our thoughts are already on Thursday
against Udinese. I’m pleased we have another game so soon and we want to do our
best." 

MILAN – With the help of our friends at Football Data, we’ve put together this collection of facts and figures to get you in the mood for Inter’s Serie A contest with Atalanta this afternoon.

Palacio, Serie A’s most decisive player in 2013/14
With his goal last Saturday, which set Inter on their way to another three points against Verona, Rodrigo Palacio moved back to the top of the ‘most decisive players’ standings in the league, level with Juventus’ Vidal. The goals scored by the Argentine and Chilean have earned their teams 19 points.

Inter’s 320-minute shutout
Mazzarri’s men have been watertight at the back for 320 minutes now, since Pinilla converted from the spot in the 40th minute of Inter 1-1 Cagliari on 23 February. The Nerazzurri defence has remained unbreached for the remaining 50 minutes of that game plus the full 90 against Roma (0-0 away), Torino (1-0 at home) and Verona (2-0 away).

Birthday boy Walter Samuel
Walter Adrian Samuel turns 36 today. The veteran defender was born in Firmat (Argentina) on 23 March 1978.

Penalty paucity
Inter are the only Serie A outfit not to have been awarded a spot kick in 2013/14. The last penalty given in their favour was 30 league games ago on 8 May 2013, Alvarez then missing from 12 yards in Inter 1-3 Lazio. Atalanta are second in the table of teams to have received the fewest penalties this season: just one in 28 matches.

Mazzarri aiming to level the scores with Colantuono
Walter Mazzarri and Stefano Colantuono have crossed swords 12 times in competitive fixtures before today, with Mazzarri winning three, Colantuono four, and five draws. Mazzarri’s sides have always conceded at least once when playing at home, letting in nine in total.

Mazzarri even-stevens with Atalanta
Walter Mazzarri’s results from meetings with Atalanta in his coaching career are in perfect parity: six victories for both sides and seven draws.

Colantuono unbeaten in seven against Inter
Stefano Colantuono has pitted his wits against Inter eight times as a coach, losing only the first encounter, when Inter hosted Atalanta in Serie A on 23 December 2006 (2-1). Since that game, Colantuono has won two and drawn five.

MILAN – Before the kick-off of Inter v Atalanta,
Nerazzurri midfielder Ricardo Alvarez gave a few statements to Sky Sport Italia.

Here is what he had to say:

"Today in the Serie A all the games are
tough. It’s certainly an advantage for us to play at home but we can’t rely on that
alone. So we need to play as we have been lately. The teams that come to play
here defend and try to counter against us. We know we have to find a way to win
these types of matches. Against Torino, for example, we did well. We need to
repeat that today.

"Hernanes is helping the team, which is
important. We don’t think about individual players but rather the whole group.
That’s how we earn results. My role? I feel good wherever the coach wants to
play me."

JAKARTA – "We had a lot of chances but
were unlucky. Guarin, Hernanes and Cambiasso weren’t able to find their best
rhythm today. Our defenders lost focus at the back and let in a goal; a goal
that was too easy," stated Nerazzurri president Erick Thohir after the
match against Atalanta, which he watched on TV in Indonesia.

The president continued: "With nine games
left this season I hope the team can get back on track again. We need as many
points as possible to qualify for Europe." 

MILAN – "It would have been enough to mark
Bonaventura and we wouldn’t have lost. But even if we had taken just a single
point you still can’t start a second half that way with so many wasted chances,"
stated coach Walter Mazzarri after Inter v Atalanta.

More to follow