[Aladino]

Ambro's press conference. He is the Special one at Milan.

THANKS COACH
12/10/2007 10:11:00 AM
Massimo Ambrosini, at the press conference, replied to the questions on Ronaldo and compared his injuries to the ones of the Brazilian. According to Ambro, Ancelotti’s support was fundamental.

YOKOHAMA – Massimo Ambrosini’s press conference is on the 50th floor. Emotions, mister vice-captain? “Of course I feel them. If you don’t feel something for such events, it’s better to retire. It would be really important to bring back to Italy such a cup. The wait for the first game, the semi-final, is in fact a bit long, but after such a long time, a week of training just between us, all together, gave us enthusiasm and we noticed that we were lacking it. We found back the fun of training all together, something which cannot be underestimated, as it almost never happens. The tension and the pressure are increasing, after all this is the Intercontinental Cup and apart from the proclaims or the scale of the objectives, it’s an important competition. Talking between us, we have the sensation that a very important appointment is coming up, which can be the turning point of our season which so far has been a bit particular.

Massimo Ambrosini is referring to the league: “Nineteen points less are a lot. Inter has shown a clear superiority over everyone. The gap can be decreased little by little, but we did too many mistakes in the league, mistakes which we did not make in the Champions League. We lost too much ground too early. These lost us a bit of serenity in the league and the gap is heavy, but we still have six months of the league and Champions League.”

Then short questions and replies. Inter President Moratti spoke about a Milan team which is only here because of what you did in the past…”We just think about ourselves and that’s it.” Ronaldo? “He can surely come out of this moment, but it’s not easy. Many small situations of injuries one after the other, end to create a psychological problem. I had many small injuries one after another. In these moments you must find the strength inside you to react. Here at Milan the doctors and us team-mates stimulate him. Now he will need one week more or less, but even if it won’t be easy, he will come out of it.”

How did you come out of it? “In the meantime I must say that this was the nicest year of my career and life so far. The risk I had was that I had the dream of my life, football, between my hands and I could not enjoy it. The last seven-eight months gave me serenity. Before I used to live everything in half, coming in, going out…What changed? I don’t know, I can’t explain it rationally. I would like to highlight the fact that I have always had the trust of the coach. Carlo Ancelotti in July 2006 told me that if we could play with another tactical set-up, with me on the pitch, we would have won and so it was. Other coaches would have pushed me, but in my situation they would have left me on the side. Instead here I was given affection in the delicate moments. I had the problem since I was a kid that I went under the knife in my two knees with different techniques, with consequences on my body. I needed a particular period of work to find the right order.”

The final reflections of Ambro: “I play too forward? It’s true, in some cases, due to my generosity which makes me go too forward. The captain’s armband? Everyone wants it, it’s a legitimate aspiration of everyone and it’s very normal that a player with Kaka’s charisma wants it. Domenech? The more we talk about it, the more we give him satisfaction.”

The Passionate one speaks: Gila!

THE CROWNING OF A DREAM
12/10/2007 2:43:00 PM
The sensations are good with three days from the game. We are preparing ourselves well. We managed to adapt to the jet lag in order to be able to be at our best condition on Thursday.” – GILARDINO’S DECLARATIONS -

YOKOHAMA – These are the declarations of Alberto Gilardino at the end of the morning training session to the microphones of Milan Channel:

Alberto this is your first morning training since you’ve been here at Yokohama. What are your sensations?
“Good sensations three days before the game. We are preparing ourselves well, and little by little we managed to adapt to the jet lag so that we can be in the best possible conditions for the semi-final.”

In Italy playing every three days you do not have so much time for training.
“No, we did not have the possibility to work in this way due to the many games close to each other. Here in Japan we had the possibility to sustain heavier workloads.”

Before you posed for a photo with two fans who came from Venice.“Yes, it pleases us to see that we are followed even here in Japan. Let’s hope on Thursday that we can count on many fans and even on Sunday evening, we hope, in case of the eventual final.”

What does this competition represent for you?
“I’ve been here for two and a half years, almost three years, and I have already won a Champions League and a European Super Cup. Succeeding to bring home this trophy would be the crowning of a great dream for me and this group.”

Ronaldo?
“Ronie is an important player. It will be up to me and Pippo to substitute him. We are both going through a good moment right now, and from our part there will always be the effort to succeed.”