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MANCINI'S SQUAD FOR TORINO V INTER

APPIANO GENTILE - Roberto Mancini has named a 20-player squad for Saturday evening's Serie A Week 19 match against Torino (kick-off at 20:30):

Goalkeepers: 1 Francesco Toldo, 12 Julio Cesar Soares, 79 Fabian Carini.

Defenders: 2 Ivan Ramiro Cordoba, 4 Javier Zanetti, 6 Maxwell, 11 Fabio Grosso, 13 Maicon, 16 Nicolas Burdisso, 23 Marco Materazzi.

Midfielders: 5 Dejan Stankovic, 7 Luis Figo, 14 Patrick Vieira, 15 Olivier Dacourt, 19 Esteban Cambiasso, 21 Santiago Solari, 91 Mariano Gonzalez.

Strikers: 8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 10 Adriano, 18 Hernan Crespo.

MANCINI: "EVERY PLAYER IMPORTANT"

APPIANO GENTILE - After this morning's training session and ahead of the squad's departure for Turin, Roberto Mancini answered questions in his pre-Torino v Inter news conference:

Mancini: are you optimistic ahead of the Torino game after Inter's start to 2007 with victories in the games against Bahrain and Empoli?
"Winning against Bahrain was quite simple... But tomorrow's game will be different, it will be very difficult because Torino are doing very well after a difficult start to the championship. They have found continuity, they are doing well, and in Rosina they have discovered a good player who is improving game after game."

Can we say there is professional respect between yourself and Torino coach Alberto Zaccheroni?
"Yes, certainly. Zaccheroni is a good coach who has had an excellent career, and he is an honest person. On a tactical level you can learn a bit from all the coaches, who are all different."

Adriano is returning to form. The Brazilian has made a complete recovery, so does he now start on the same level as the other Nerazzurri strikers?
"All our strikers have always started on the same level, and after that it's the pitch that decides who plays and who doesn't. Adriano wasn't fit to play for a while, and there were other more in-form players. If the pitch gives confirmation of the good work done by Adriano since his return, including that done after his return from holiday, he will, as always, have the same chance as the others. It's always the in-form players who play, and we have so many matches that there's always someone who has to rest, and another player will play."

Is it harder to coach the team now you have almost all your players available, and more to choose from?
"Absolutely not. The reactions of the players who don't play, are positive because it means they all really want to play and make their contribution. It means that nobody ever wants to be left out. Now it is important to have almost everybody available because of the many matches we face every three days."

Do you think this Torino side is mature enough to qualify for the UEFA Cup this season. And what do you think of Rosina?
"Rosina also did well when he was at Parma. He might have played a bit less then but he was younger; now he's playing regularly and being a few years older certainly helps him. He has exceptional technical ability and has already improved tremendously since the start of this season. He is the reference point of his team now. He's not very tall, but has very strong legs and this will help him more and more. And I think that Torino have a good chance of qualifying for Europe, considering what they have done so far."
MANCINI: "RESPECT FOR TORINO"

Mancini: Inter's most important reinforcement in these last six months could be Luis Figo. Do you agree?
"Luis has done well so far. He has done what he had to do and he will continue to do so until June. He is a quality player who can be very important for the continuation of our season, just like all the other lads in our squad."

Will Fabio Grosso start the match tomorrow?
"I don't think he can start from the first minute because he has only been training for three days. He has been called up, but we will look at the condition of everybody tomorrow and see. But like I have just said, I think it's unlikely."

And how are Crespo, Cambiasso and Dacourt?
" Crespo is fine. He has worked a lot in the last three days and I think he can go on the bench in Turin. Dacourt is a lot better and Cambiasso is quite well too, but they are two players who have just recovered from their respective injuries, particularly Dacourt who has just returned after two months out. We don't want to make any mistakes, and we want to have them in top form until the end of the season, so we can't be too demanding on them now. We play every three days and we have to use our strength sparingly with all the boys, particularly with those who are back from injury."

What worries you about this Torino side?
"Nothing worries me. We respect them because we know they have done a good job after the problems they had in their first matches of the season when they didn't manage to win points even though they played well. They have since had a positive series of games apart from the one at home to Roma when they played a lot of the game with ten men against eleven. We have great respect for them and we know it will be a very hard match if we don't give our best. We will have to be very focused and very careful, and we'll have to play very well."

The Stadio Olimpico will be full. Does this represent an extra difficulty for you?
"I have played in that stadium in Turin. It being full will make the whole thing much better. The pitch looks good and this is positive."

Does setting a new record for consecutive Serie A victories interest you?
"Not much. The only thing that interests us is winning at the end. We have never paid attention to it, and we're not now."

What is your opinion of Beckham's decision to play at Los Angeles Galaxy from next season, where he will earn a reported €191m in five years?
"Good for him... (smiles). Beckham is a fantastic player. He is 31 and he's still in top physical form. If they offered him a contract like this it probably means he did well not to refuse it. He will be going to a championship that's a bit behind in terms of its level, but he can make a very big contribution."

And your comments on the reactions to your declarations about wanting to bring Cassano to Inter?
"This isn't that important, I was only giving my technical opinion of a good player, just like I have done with others. Like Mancini of Roma? Yes, he is another very good player. But Roma have a lot of good players despite the fact that some people say the contrary."