(GSM) – Internazionale defender Cristian Chivu is set to be sidelined for a long time after he fractured his skull in Inter’s match against Chievo (0-1 win).
Chivu was involved

Inter Milan ace Cristian Chivus agent, Victor Becali, does not expect his client to be joining Manchester City in the January transfer window.
Chivu has been linked with a move to

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APPIANO GENTILE – The players reported to the training HQ this morning to begin preparing for Saturday evening’s Serie A Week 13 match away to Bologna. Mourinho’s Nerazzurri trained for over ninety minutes, performing aerobic, possession, tactical and

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MILAN – Quantity, quality and dependability. Versatile Romania captain Cristian Chivu left his mark on the Scudetto with a series of outstanding performances in defence and midfield.
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APPIANO GENTILE – Inter continued their preparations for Sunday’s away match against Chievo with a morning workout involving warm-up exercises, possession, tactical and shooting drills.
Cristian Chivu and Sulley Muntari worked individually, performing warm-up exercises before continuing with a series of runs with changes of speed, technique drills and some target practice.
Paolo Orlandoni (jogging, strength building), Nelson Rivas (treatment, physiotherapy, injury-recovery session) and Maicon (30 minutes of running & technique drills) also trained separately. The Brazilian full-back will train again this afternoon (strength building session in gym).

APPIANO GENTILE – The third session of the week in preparation for Sunday’s match away to ChievoVerona took place this morning at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, unavailable for the Stadio Bentegodi clash due to suspension, was back to work today after four days off. The Swedish striker trained with the squad, which was organised into three groups by José Mourinho and his coaching staff. Also back in full training were Victor Obinna and Walter Samuel, who did some extra strength building work in the gym.
After a warm-up the players performed shooting drills, played some football-tennis and played a series of tactical training games.
Cristian Chivu (aerobic work, circuit training), Maicon (double session with strengthening drills and spinning), Sulley Muntari (double session with aerobic work and strength building exercises in gym), Paolo Orlandoni (strength building in gym) and Nelson Rivas (double session with injury rehabilitation exercises) trained individually.

APPIANO GENTILE – Zlatan Ibrahimovic previewed Saturday evening’s clash between Inter and Juventus in an exclusive interview for Inter Channel programme A tu per tu.
This is what he had to say:
Ibrahimovic, is Juventus-Inter a match that can decide the season?
"I don’t think it’s the most important match of the year because they all have the same importance. Up to now we have shown that we want to win the championship and this is why we are top. We have a ten-point advantage over Juventus and it will be even bigger if we win tomorrow, but as I said, I don’t think it’s the most important game of the year. It will certainly be a spectacular and exciting match between the two strongest teams. We are ready, we have worked well all week and we’re going to Turin to win."
In Turin a few weeks ago they were convinced that tomorrow’s game would be fundamental because they thought they could earn points before this clash, but Inter have won the points. Does going to Turin with a ten-point advantage create a different mental attitude?
"It was normal for Juventus to think like this. If they hadn’t, it would already be over, because a team always has to believe that it has a chance. But there are also possibilities for Inter. It won’t be easy for them and it won’t be easy for us, either. There are still seven matches. If we win tomorrow there will be six left and we will have a big lead, but we still have to play our game, look at our situation and work without concentrating on what the other teams do. It all depends on us."
It was a great Inter in the reverse fixture. Do you remember that match?
"Yes, I remember it very well. The stadium was full, we played a great game creating many scoring chances. Juve had a few chances to score as well, but we won in the end. We played better than them and it all went well."
Ibrahimovic knows them both well. Is it hard to put goals past Gianluigi Buffon and Julio Cesar?
"I know both of them. They are two great goalkeepers. Buffon was already at a high level when I arrived at Juventus. He was number one and it was hard to score against him even in training. Then when I arrived at Inter I met Julio Cesar, who has improved greatly in these three years and has become number one. At the start he was on the right road to becoming it; now he’s at a very high level and it’s very hard to beat him. However, I think that they are two different goalkeepers. Julio Cesar could even play outfield because he has incredible technique for someone who plays in goal. Buffon doesn’t have the same ability with his feet."
How important is it for a goalkeeper in today’s football to be able to play well with his feet?
"I don’t know. It depends. Buffon has done some fantastic things so far, but when I look at Julio Cesar I see a different goalkeeper with a different style: a new kind of goalkeeper who has great qualities not just with his hands, but also with his feet."
It’s like having an eleventh player…
"More or less. It depends how the team plays… (Smiles) When we play, Julio Cesar has nothing to do with it…"
Seventeen different Inter players have scored this season, while sixteen different Juventus players have hit the target. A sign that anyone in these two teams can be decisive?
"We are two great teams with great players in every role. Everyone can score goals and help the team. And I have always said that it’s not important who scores the goals. A goal gives you confidence, a lead, but in the end it’s the three points that count, so it’s the same for me whether Julio Cesar, Ivan Cordoba or Cristian Chivu score. What really counts at the end is winning the competition and being able to say that you have won, even if you have won with forty goals… I prefer to win the trophy rather than score more than the others."
Inter-Juventus is also a possible Coppa Italia final in Rome…
"It would be nice because both teams deserve to win the Coppa Italia. We will have to beat Sampdoria in our next home match and come back from three goals down. It won’t be easy but we will do everything to succeed. We are a great team; we have the players who can do everything to win."
Ibrahimovic is Serie A top scorer with twenty goals, and he has also scored more than all the other players in every other division…
"This is very important. I’m playing well and I’m improving day after day. My team-mates and the coach help me by giving me lots of faith and the fans also give me the support necessary to do my best. I’m happy that I’m feeling well physically and that I haven’t had the physical problems that I had last year with that knee problem. I continued playing despite that problem and now I realise I was wrong to. It’s wrong to go on the pitch when you’re not physically fit because you’re not one hundred percent and you can’t express yourself like you want to. I’m fine now, I’m ready for the next matches and it’s thanks to all my team-mates that everything is going well. Without them I couldn’t do everything I’m doing."
You said that you are stimulated when opposing fans boo you. And there have always been a lot of boos for Ibrahimovic in Turin…
"I like it. It will definitely be the same again this time. (Smiles) If I were a Juventus fan I would boo Ibrahimovic too if he left my team. He’s a great player…"
It will be a great clash against Giorgio Chiellini, who is considered one of the best Italian defenders…
"I don’t know Chiellini very well because he still wasn’t in the team when I arrived at Juventus. He came in during my second year. I can only say that he wasn’t the same as he is today. He has grown a lot, he’s doing very well and I also think that he’s one of the best defenders in Italy. He has also played in the national team and this helps you improve in terms of experience. It will be an interesting duel because he’s a defender and, as such, his task is to stop the strikers. Instead, I will do everything to score goals and create chances."
But do you like him as a defender?
"I like him a lot because he plays in a very strong and physical way. But you always have to be careful, stay two steps ahead and see how it goes…"
Have you given any advice to your team-mates in defence about the characteristics of the Bianconeri strikers?
"I think that my team-mates already know them well. They have played against them in past years and a defender already knows what he has to do. If I had to give advice to my team-mates they could even choose not to listen to me because each of us acts in a different way and has his tricks to stop these kind of strikers. This is why he’s a footballer who plays for Inter."
Do you need to particularly concentrated against a team like Juventus, who play with a high defence?
"Yes, but Juventus also attack insistently because they are determined to win matches. And tomorrow there will be two teams who want to score goals and win. It will be very interesting because Juventus will play with a very high defence and will press us, but we have to play like we can, with confidence like we did in the reverse match."
According to Ibrahimovic, will the team that scores first tomorrow win?
"No. The team that scores last will win."
Ibrahimovic’s best goal this season? In Bologna, in Palermo, against Reggina or the one in the Champions League in Bremen?
"What do you think?"
The most difficult one was the goal you scored against Reggina…
"For me it’s the one I scored in Bologna because you can repeat all the others. The one I scored against Reggina, I could score again; the one in Palermo I did it again against Fiorentina. You don’t get many chances to score one like the one I got in Bologna. If I have to vote I’ll vote for the Bologna one… (smiles) but I could still do it again…"