Inter's Yuto Nagatomo: I want to become the best full-back in the world

The Japanese international capped a fine season with the Serie giants by winning the Coppa Italia at the weekend and is already looking forward to upping his game next term

By Stefan Coerts

Inter defender Yuto Nagatomo has expressed his ambition to become the best full-back in the world next season.

The Japan international joined the Serie A giants from Cesena on a six-month loan deal in January, and is regarded as one of the best full-backs in the top-flight.

However, Nagatomo spoke of his desire to progress his career, telling the club's official website: "I want to continue going forward to improve. These six months at Inter have helped me a lot; one year in this team is like 10 in another club. My personal goal for next season is to become the best full-back in the world."

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Moratti: "I'll sign each year for that treble"

ROME - Congratulations to Palermo, "a wonderful team that played a wonderful match," said Massimo Moratti praising the season of his Inter. The Nerazzurri president spoke to Rai Sport: "A mini-treble? Not at all. One of the three trophies this year was the Club World Cup, I want to remind you - I'll sign every year for a treble like that..."

The president then stated to Inter Channel: "The passion of the players coincided with that of the fans and vice versa. It was a great victory we strongly wanted and deserved. The third trophy in a season, even if for some they aren't the most important ones… The beginning of a new cycle? I hope so, especially for Leonardo and those lads who recently arrived in this fantastic group. I wish them luck in winning as much as the team's veterans, who have won so much in recent years and who still hold a strong desire to win. I hear so many questions about the transfer market, so many names are mentioned to me, but the first thing that comes to mind is to maintain this group, although we'll do like always and add a few players to help the team to continue winning."

Leonardo: "Great group, great satisfaction"

ROME - "It was an enormous satisfaction this year for me and for Inter with so many changes." Leonardo enjoys his first trophy as Inter coach, the Italian Cup won against Palermo: "Being able to finish the last match of the season with two trophies raised to the sky by Zanetti and Materazzi [the Coppa Italia and the Cup celebrating 150 years of Italian Unification, ed.] is a wonderful thing." The Inter coach also praised the thousands of supporters who filled the Stadio Olimpico: "They were extraordinary."

The Inter coach continued: "Irrespective of next season, this season has been great with all of the obstacles we overcame with pride and quality. Inter finished the season with three trophies which means consistency. This group deserved to finish the year by lifting a trophy."

And again, more compliments for the Nerazzurri players: "I'm proud of this team, a team that had a difficult year, with three coaches and many demands. It wasn't easy, especially with all the injuries we had. This team really deserved it: with Ranocchia, who played an extraordinary game after being out for 3 days with a fever; with Sneijder, who did what he did after being out for a month; with Julio Cesar,

Leonardo: "A final that is important for everyone"

ROME – A final is a final and that's important for us, for Palermo, for everyone. In this case it's two trophies that only one team, only one captain, will lift tomorrow, and it will be the last trophy lifted in Europe this season, the last of all." In the press conference held at the Stadio Olimpico this evening, on the eve of the Coppa Italia final between Inter and Palermo, Leonardo described what his first Coppa Italia final means: "It hasn't been an easy year for us, and although in my opinion it has already been a positive one, we really do want to end the season with a trophy, which would be this team's third." The coach was asked if winning this cup could fulfill his desire to prove himself: "I don't have that need; I don't see this as a personal target. That would mean devaluing what it really means to win the Coppa Italia."

Zanetti: "Let's win it and be protagonists again"

ROME - "I'm delighted to be here. We're about to play a final which is very important to us and that we're determined to win." Javier Zanetti was the player chosen to accompany Leonardo at the traditional pre-match press conference on the eve of the Coppa Italia final.
"It will be a big game for both teams," explained the skipper. It's just as important to us as it is to them, because we want to carry on being protagonists by winning. We'll be facing a team with lots of qualities, but we're confident we can produce a top performance in this final. I don't have any particular worries about tomorrow; I'm aware that I'm part of a team that is ready for this game."
It will be the first Coppa Italia final for Leonardo and the captain ended by looking to the future: "We know that our coach has lots of personal qualities and we know that he, like us, really wants to win this trophy. It would be his first and it could be the start of another winning cycle for Inter."

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Coppa Italia final: info for fans

ROME – (Lega Serie A) The 2010/11 Coppa Italia final takes place tomorrow, Sunday 29 May 2011, at 21:00 in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The event is expected to be a sell-out and with two sets of fans travelling to the neutral venue from different cities, considerable organisation is required to ensure public safety as vast numbers of people move through the capital. These and related issues were discussed over the last few days at Rome police headquarters in Via San Vitale by members of the task force summoned by the questore (chief of police). The principal concern is to guarantee maximum accessibility to the stadium by providing assistance to supporters of both teams, in keeping with the public order management policies implemented since the start of the football season. Separate transport changeover points have been designated to facilitate travel through the city using the metro lines and the public shuttle services.

Supporters arriving in their own vehicles will be directed by the traffic police at the motorway exit gates and at other possible access routes to the city. Vehicles left in the allocated parking areas will be guarded by the police forces for the duration of the event. To assist fans, and avoid congestion on the public transport services running to the Stadio Olimpico, the stadium gates will open at 17:00. Metro system line A will run until 1.30 am for the benefit of fans returning to the assembly points. The two Clubs are providing a further 140 stewards to assist those already involved in the organisation of the event. The area under surveillance for the maintenance of public order has been extended to include the historic centre, and plain clothes officers will monitor activity and alert the event's Public Safety Management Unit if deemed necessary, thereby guaranteeing a rapid redeployment of forces.

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