APPIANO GENTILE – There was no victory against Livorno, but Hernanes did score his first highly awaited goal. He explained to Sky Sport Italia: "It was great because I had come close over seven games with some of my shots, but when I saw the ball hit the net it was a huge rush. Being able to celebrate my first goal with this shirt was a sensational feeling. I think overcoming that obstacle is a good sign. And then all the Nerazzurri fans had been asking me for a somersault…
"What happened after we went up by two goals? In football, and especially in the Serie A, teams can punish you when you think everything’s under control. We made a few small mistakes and unfortunately things turned out as they did, and we left with only a point. You can have peculiar moments in football and these things can happen, as they did for us.
"I came here to win. I’ve worked hard to get to this point, and I’m finally fit again. I’m really happy these problems have been worked out. We missed a lot of big chances, but I can see we’re staying positive. We just need to focus on the games still ahead of us. Right now is a moment for me to celebrate, since I can see a bright future ahead." What kind of Inter does the Prophet see for next season? "Complaints and regrets won’t get us anywhere. I only see positive things. That’s what I’m expecting for the end of this season and the next one."
The discussion then turned to Fredy Guarin ("He’s a great player, and anyone can make a mistake") and Walter Mazzarri, a coach who really wanted Hernanes at Inter. Now the player is beginning to repay him: "I’ve worked really hard over these two months to get to this level physically. Mazzarri is a great coach who has the kind of footballing intelligence I’ve seen in very few others."
After a few words on his first couple of months in Milan ("It feels as if I’ve already lived here for two years. I feel right at home in this city with everyone"), Hernanes explained what his side will have to do at the San Siro on Saturday to get back to their winning ways against Bologna:
"We’ll have to play at a very high tempo and still be relaxed enough to keep looking for a goal if the match isn’t going our way. It won’t be an easy game. We know they’ll defend a lot, like the other teams who come here. Can qualifying for Europe be a measuring stick to sum up Inter’s season? Yes, it could be. I always see this team as a Scudetto contender, so this could certainly be something to make the season more or less a positive one."