Mazzarri v Fiorentina: Inter coach undefeated for 4 years
There have been 21 previous meetings between Walter Mazzarri and Fiorentina, with a record of 5 wins for the current Nerazzurri boss, 9 draws and 7 Viola wins. Mazzarri’s last loss to the side from Florence came on 13 March 2010 in Napoli 1-3 Fiorentina in the Serie A. We should point out that Walter Mazzarri came up as a player through the Viola’s youth academy (from 1979/80 to 1980/81), where he won a Scudetto and a Coppa Italia at the Primavera level in the 1979/80 season.

FLORENCE – Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio was interviewed by Sky Sport Italia before kick-off at the Stadio Franchi.

He began: "When will see Icardi on the pitch? I don’t think it’s far off now. If we hadn’t taken the lead last week with Samuel’s header he would have been the first off the bench. Today the coach wanted to stick with a team that had done well.

"Benitez’s comments? It does get a bit tiring after a while if every time Napoli win two games on the bounce he comes out with something like that… Benitez knows full well that, partly thanks to him too, we won things that season and reached certain objectives. I’m sure that he’d sign immediately to do repeat those results with Napoli. Hopefully that will be the end of it after yesterday."

The Nerazzurri sporting director was then asked if Hernanes was signed to play as an inside midfielder: “The idea is to play with a deep-lying midfielder and two quality central midfielders – that’s what the coach has in mind. A player like Hernanes can do that job for you; he brings a level of unpredictability to the side.

"Our forwards are playing well: Milito is improving and Palacio is better. But we also have Alvarez, Kovacic, Taider: there’s plenty of choice and quality in that area."

MILAN – Nerazzurri Primavera coach Salvatore Cerrone gave his thoughts to Inter Channel following this afternoon’s 1-1 draw with Pescara.

"We’re disappointed, myself as much as anyone, because we wanted to play a different game today. This is a rather strange period we’re going through. It’s a month and a half now that nothing seems to be going for us. We have to pick ourselves up and get back to doing what we were up until 21 December. We haven’t looked ourselves since then.

"It’s a shame because this team is certainly capable of producing good football. We all need to give ourselves a lift and come through this. We weren’t able to do that today but next week we have an extremely difficult test against Atalanta, who are yet to lose this season. An unbeaten team is a huge incentive for us, so hopefully it can provide us with the spark to get going again.

"At the start of the game I told the lads not to be afraid of the ball, to play calmly. We have to work on the mental side of our game, try to relax and not be afraid of making mistakes. And we need to find some consistency. We haven’t lost anything by drawing today but we do need to play better.

"It’s probably a question of confidence because the effort’s not lacking. As I said, we have to keep working together and we’ll come through this period."

FLORENCE – Brazilian defender Juan Jesus spoke to Sky Italia in the build-up to tonight’s match between Fiorentina and Inter.

He said: "We know this is a tough game because Fiorentina are a great team. We must maintain our focus and do what the gaffer has drummed into us during the week.

"They played against Udinese in midweek but we must concentrate on ourselves and on playing well. We have to approach every match as if it were a final. We’re a quality side and we want to prove it.

"I hope Milito and Palacio can turn it on tonight. They’re two huge players for us."

MILAN – Here are the starting line-ups named by Salvatore Cerrone and Federico Giampaolo for the Primavera championship match between Inter and
Pescara being played at the Centro Sportivo Giacinto Facchetti this afternoon (14:30 kick-off).

Inter: Ivusic; Sciacca, Paramatti, Pinton, Eguelfi; Knudsen, Acampora; Camara, Ventre, Puscas; Bigotto.
Subs: ?Maniero, Yao, Dalla Riva, Dabo, Gaiola, Palazzi, Baldini, Capello, Bonazzoli, Costa.
Coach: Salvatore Cerrone.

Pescara: Agresta; Vitturini, Benedetti, Karkalis; Bulevardi, Silvestri, Selasi, Cherubini, Marzucco; Ingretolli, Di Rocco.
?Subs: Calore, Di Pasquale, Gueye, Florimbj, Paolucci, Ranelli, Di Sante, Damiani.
Coach: Federico Giampaolo.

Referee: Baldicchi.
Assistants: Giampietruzzi, Guglielmi.