Mancini: "Zanetti, the perfect player"
Saturday, 10 November 2007 16:16:12
APPIANO GENTILE - More of Roberto Mancini's Inter v Lazio news conference:
Mancini, Zanetti has played 400 league matches for Inter. What can you tell us about the Argentine?
"If he continues like this he'll get to eight hundred matches for Inter because he plays every time. And I think he has already reached the record of appearances for the Argentine national team (115 along with Fabian Ayala). He's the perfect player because he's very serious and this seriousness makes him indispensable. Even when he's not at his best he always brings out something from that great physique he possesses because he leads an exemplary lifestyle. I think he's one of those players who can continue playing until he's forty years old."
Has playing him in midfield has helped him do even better than what he has already shown he can do?
"Zanetti can play in several positions. I thought he could be very useful to the team in midfield because he has an important ability which is dribbling his opponent and making strong runs on goal. In a midfield position he can be very dangerous and he can help the team. He has always done very well in defence, but from that position he has to run more. But he has already played in that role and I remember he played in midfield against my Lazio in a UEFA Cup final and he also scored a goal. Like I said, he can cover many positions on the pitch and can do very well in each one of them."
F.C. Internazionale Milano - Sito Ufficiale