Inter's excuses: Season 07/08 (12 Viewers)
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good one
Mancini: "We didn't play well"
ISTANBUL - Roberto Mancini spoke on Italian television after Inter's Champions League defeat to Fenerbahçe.
"It was a balanced first half," said the Inter coach. "They played better in the second half because they found more spaces when counter-attacking and on the whole they deserved to win."
Inter faced Zico's side without seven players ruled out through injuries and suspensions. "Those who played are as good as those who were missing, so we mustn't cling on to the absentees," said Mancini.
"Like I just said, they played better over the ninety minutes and deserved to win. We certainly didn't play a good game, we could have done better.
"We have lost one game and now we have to win at home (to PSV on 2 October) to avoid having the difficulties we had last season. We won't have any problems getting through the round if we play like we can, but we have to start winning.
"The boys gave their all on the pitch tonight but sometimes your opponents play better. We have to congratulate Fenerbahçe. The favourites on paper don't always win.
"Perhaps our worries over a new defence might have affected us a bit too much psychologically, but Rivas and Samuel did very well.
"We should have done more in the first half, unfortunately we only emerged at the end of the game.
"We can't compare tonight's defeat with the defeat in Lisbon last season. This is a different group, it's still wide open and we hope to have a few of the injured players back to face PSV, maybe all three of them.
"It's true that taking a slap like this can do you good, and it's true that we will qualify, but we can't always make a bad start. I don't think this slip-up will affect our future and it's wrong to say that Ibra does well in Italy and not in Europe. It's never just a matter of one player."
ISTANBUL - Roberto Mancini spoke on Italian television after Inter's Champions League defeat to Fenerbahçe.
"It was a balanced first half," said the Inter coach. "They played better in the second half because they found more spaces when counter-attacking and on the whole they deserved to win."
Inter faced Zico's side without seven players ruled out through injuries and suspensions. "Those who played are as good as those who were missing, so we mustn't cling on to the absentees," said Mancini.
"Like I just said, they played better over the ninety minutes and deserved to win. We certainly didn't play a good game, we could have done better.
"We have lost one game and now we have to win at home (to PSV on 2 October) to avoid having the difficulties we had last season. We won't have any problems getting through the round if we play like we can, but we have to start winning.
"The boys gave their all on the pitch tonight but sometimes your opponents play better. We have to congratulate Fenerbahçe. The favourites on paper don't always win.
"Perhaps our worries over a new defence might have affected us a bit too much psychologically, but Rivas and Samuel did very well.
"We should have done more in the first half, unfortunately we only emerged at the end of the game.
"We can't compare tonight's defeat with the defeat in Lisbon last season. This is a different group, it's still wide open and we hope to have a few of the injured players back to face PSV, maybe all three of them.
"It's true that taking a slap like this can do you good, and it's true that we will qualify, but we can't always make a bad start. I don't think this slip-up will affect our future and it's wrong to say that Ibra does well in Italy and not in Europe. It's never just a matter of one player."
Mancini: Inter played badly
Wednesday 19 September, 2007
Roberto Mancini admits Inter were poor in Turkey and far too ineffective in attack. “We can’t always start the Champions League like this.”
The 1-0 defeat at Fenerbahce was horribly familiar for the fans, as last season they started with three consecutive losses before eventually managing a remarkable fightback.
“We didn’t play well. Perhaps we were too worried about the fact we had a totally new defence. Yet on the field the opposite was true, as the defence held out well, but we were not attacking enough,” said the Coach.
They were without the suspended Ivan Cordoba, Nicolas Burdisso, Douglas Maicon and Julio Cruz, while Cristian Chivu and Marco Materazzi are injured.
“We pushed forward more in the second half, but Fenerbahce could have easily scored another and so they deservedly won,” conceded Mancio.
“The first half was not so awful, it was a balanced encounter and they had the better of the overall play, but we should have done more with the four or five counter-attacks.”
Luis Figo and Luis Jimenez were introduced during the second period and sparked a little more in the squad, but it was still not enough.
“These two options were for substitutions and I could’ve done it at half-time. They came on quite early into the half and were fresher than the others, but I don’t think that made the difference.
“It will be important for us to recover those players who at the moment are out,” he added.
“I don’t know if getting a slap is healthy every now and then. It’s true that nothing is compromised and we still have an excellent chance of going through, but we cannot always start in this manner.”
Inter now prop up Group G, as PSV Eindhoven saw off CSKA Moscow 2-1, so they are the only side in the group yet to score.
Wednesday 19 September, 2007
Roberto Mancini admits Inter were poor in Turkey and far too ineffective in attack. “We can’t always start the Champions League like this.”
The 1-0 defeat at Fenerbahce was horribly familiar for the fans, as last season they started with three consecutive losses before eventually managing a remarkable fightback.
“We didn’t play well. Perhaps we were too worried about the fact we had a totally new defence. Yet on the field the opposite was true, as the defence held out well, but we were not attacking enough,” said the Coach.
They were without the suspended Ivan Cordoba, Nicolas Burdisso, Douglas Maicon and Julio Cruz, while Cristian Chivu and Marco Materazzi are injured.
“We pushed forward more in the second half, but Fenerbahce could have easily scored another and so they deservedly won,” conceded Mancio.
“The first half was not so awful, it was a balanced encounter and they had the better of the overall play, but we should have done more with the four or five counter-attacks.”
Luis Figo and Luis Jimenez were introduced during the second period and sparked a little more in the squad, but it was still not enough.
“These two options were for substitutions and I could’ve done it at half-time. They came on quite early into the half and were fresher than the others, but I don’t think that made the difference.
“It will be important for us to recover those players who at the moment are out,” he added.
“I don’t know if getting a slap is healthy every now and then. It’s true that nothing is compromised and we still have an excellent chance of going through, but we cannot always start in this manner.”
Inter now prop up Group G, as PSV Eindhoven saw off CSKA Moscow 2-1, so they are the only side in the group yet to score.
