Inter coach coy on Sneijder

04 August 2011 14:30

Inter Milan coach Gian Piero Gasperini on Thursday batted away persistent questions about his Dutch midfield star Wesley Sneijder, who is wanted by Manchester United.

The Italian giants play their great rivals AC Milan in the Italian Super Cup on Saturday in Beijing, but speculation about Sneijder is set to overshadow the action on the field.

"Whether Sneijder will play or not play is a question I cannot answer right now. He's played many positions in the past and I'm sure he can find a position on my team," Gasperini said, smiling.

Attempting to move on from the Sneijder question, Gasperini called the Super Cup -- his first -- his "most important (match) yet" and played down the stifling heat and humidity in the Chinese capital.

The pitch at the Olympic Stadium, better known as the "Bird's Nest", was "better than most in Italy", he said.

The Super Cup is the season curtain-raiser between the Serie A champions, which was AC Milan last season, and the Coppa Italia winners.

Inter captain Javier Zanetti said his side would be going all out to make up for the disappointment of losing the Super Cup to Lazio at the same venue in 2009.

"We played well in Beijing two years ago but we didn't win. That's in the past. This year, we're here to take the Cup home to Italy," said the Argentine, who is six matches shy of becoming Inter's most-used player.

Source: AFP