APPIANO GENTILE – Sky
Sport Italia will air an exclusive interview with Walter Mazzarri on the
various editions of today’s news broadcasts.

Speaking to Andrea
Paventi and Massimiliano Nebuloni, the Nerazzurri coach took stock of his first
few months with Inter, analysing the progress and projects of his team and the
new president, Erick Thohir.

"The summary is
excellent," he explained at one point in the interview. "Unfortunately
in Italy things are often assessed only at the end by the results. When looking
at it that way I can say that we could have four or five more points, and I’m
not referring to the home games against Parma and Sampdoria, since we didn’t
see the best Inter performances there.

"What do I expect
from the new year? I never see a smooth road when it comes to these things. I’d
like 2014 to follow the same path that other good years did. I hope the year
will be a good one for Inter fans. I don’t like to make predictions, but I can
say we’ll give our all so Inter fans feel can feel competitive as they did in the old days."

MILAN – Three members of Inter’s youth academy have been called up to the Italy U18 squad by coach Paolo Vanoli for a friendly against Tunisia on 8 January 2014. Defender Giacomo Sciacca and midfielders Enrico Baldini and Andrea Palazzi are in the party of Azzurri youngsters who will play at Stade El Menzah in Tunis.

22 May 2010, Madrid woke up to a beautiful day. But on this occasion it was not the madridistas who would be celebrating around the city. The Bernabeu was set to host the Champions League final that evening, Bayern Munich versus Internazionale di Milano, better known as Inter.

The streets were streaked with red and white, black and blue. Flights were fully booked and a queue of charter planes lined up on the landing strip. All roads led to the Bernabeu and they were watched closely by the police, who coordinated the traffic of cars and bodies. By 3 pm a throng of people were already huddled around the stadium in a passionate embrace. Everyone – coaches, players and fans – knew that nine hours later there could be only one winner. And that there would be tears, of joy or despair. There’s a runners-up prize for losing finalists of course, but it’s one that no one wants.

Milito scored first once and then twice. Bayern were on their knees and it was game over. Inter were European champions once more. And also Treble winners – the first and only Italian club over to achieve such a feat

MILAN – Javier Zanetti spoke to RaiSport about the future, president Thohir, Walter Mazzarri and Argentina, where he decided to spend the holidays.

“We started down a new path this year: we have a new coach who’s trying to put across his ideas and we are working to follow them. We’re on the right track, we still need to improve but we’re getting there. The aim is to go back to competing at the top.

“Thohir is a president with very clear ideas, and we hope that he can bring Inter back to the top. It’s up to us to perform well on the pitch, and we always thank our fans for how they stay with us and support us. I’d like to wish them all the best on behalf of all of us.

“What’s my secret? I always want to prove to myself I can still do it and help out my team-mates. I came back from a very serious injury but I’m fit again now.

“2014? Let’s hope it’s a year of happiness for me and my family and that Inter can achieve something to make us all happy come the end of the season.

“The future? Will I move upstairs at the end of the season? I’ve not decided yet, all I’m thinking about at the moment is what I can contribute on the pitch, but I’ll talk to the owners at the end of the season. I’m open to that. Do I still want to play? Right now it’s a yes, but that’s still six months away and a lot can happen in the meantime.”