Winning and convincing. In the exam night at San Siro, Inter found the game again, but above all the three points that allow them to relaunch themselves in the Champions League area. It wasn't easy, because the match against Pescara presented more uncertainties than what the field has shown. The Nerazzurri were good at approaching the match with the right mix of anger and determination, but on the other hand Udine's slaps didn't leave much choice. “It went well – sighed Stramaccioni rather satisfied. – The feeling is that Inter are rediscovering presence and balance on the pitch. We also took a big step forward from a game point of view, which was a problem against defending teams." True, because it has often (and rightly) been said that the Nerazzurri performed best against the big teams, when they could afford the luxury of waiting and starting over, rather than in the provincial matches, in which they necessarily had to attack the opponent, with all the tactical consequences of the case. Paying homage to Inter, it is fair to underline the inadequacy of Pescara, who came to San Siro in the spirit of a school trip.
The victories collected in the last period (3 out of 4 games) have taken away hunger from Bergodi's group, which has left in Abruzzo the indomitable provincial spirit that had distinguished him. And to say that the trappings of the coup were all there: Inter presented themselves with bandages and wounds. It is no coincidence that Stramaccioni found himself forced to give up Gargano as well (on the bench but not at his best) for the benefit of the young Benassi, who was thus entrusted with the heart of the Nerazzurri midfield. The little boy (18 years old) deserved his place, proving to be ready to play for a jersey with the others. But it was Rodrigo Palacio who made the difference, always dangerous and pungent on important occasions. The first goal for the Argentine came in the 6th minute after a throw from Guarin, but his right foot went wide. The final was different in the 31st minute, when El Trenza exploited Cassano's veil, literally sent Terlizzi empty and killed Perin with an unstoppable shot. The 1-0 galvanized Inter, who could try to double without revealing themselves too much. The knockout blow came at the start of the second half, again with Palacio's inspiration. The Argentine feinted on Colucci by sitting him down and served Guarin at the top of the small area: it was child's play for the Colombian to pit behind Perin.
The game thus went downhill and Stramaccioni could save some effort for his very owners. Right here came the only grain of the evening: in the 68th minute the coach recalled Cassano by virtue of Rocchi. The player from Bari, who hasn't scored since 21 October, left the field rather annoyed. “It's normal for him to get angry, he had had chances, he wanted to score – Stramaccioni justified it. – This shows how attached he is to the shirt, but for me it was the ideal match for Rocchi to make his debut at the San Siro. But with Cassano there's nothing to clarify, an important match awaits us on Tuesday, I'm managing the players from this perspective as well”.
That's all the better, also because the coach is still grappling with the Sneijder case, which appears rather far from a resolution. In Turkey they think the agreement with Galatasaray is imminent, but the Dutchman, who was in the stands yesterday, made it clear that his fate is far from written: "I haven't decided yet, it's not an easy choice, I have to think about it. I don't think there will be any news in the next few days…”.
An extra grain, which this time didn't disturb Inter's night. The present makes you smile, the future is still unknown.
