Zanetti throws spotlight on hungry Messi
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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FC Internazionale Milano captain Javier Zanetti warned that Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi has told him that he was full of motivation as FC Barcelona come to town for the opening of their title defence.
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FC Internazionale Milano are aiming to become European champions for the first time since 1964/65, and captain Javier Zanetti says their opening encounter with titleholders FC Barcelona and his international team-mate Lionel Messi will "make us understand where we stand as this time we want to be involved until the end".
Messi threat
It is the 36-year-old Zanetti's ninth UEFA Champions League campaign with Inter, and he is yet to go further than their 2002/03 run to the semi-finals, reaching the last four despite taking just one point from two games against Barcelona in the second group stage. As they gear up for their first meeting since then the pre-game focus has centred on the recently exchanged Zlatan Ibrahimović and Samuel Eto'o, but Zanetti suspects the man to watch is still his Argentinian compatriot, Messi.
Motivation
"I spoke with Messi about the match and, unfortunately for us, he is motivated," said the Nerazzurri skipper. "He's such a great player, and he wants to start the Champions League in the right way." Not that Zanetti underestimates the danger of his former club-mate Ibrahimović. "I don't know how our supporters will welcome Ibra, but he did very well with us and we won a lot together," the defender added.
Eto'o addition
That included the Italian title in all three seasons that Ibrahimović was at Inter, but Zanetti was keen to underline that they have not just been a one-man show. "He was part of the team, and the team won thanks to everybody's work, as always happens in football," Zanetti said. "Now Samuel Eto'o is playing for us, he is adapting very quickly and already scored three important goals for Inter even though the Italian season has just started."
Threat
Of course, with Eto'o on board Barcelona have won a few trophies themselves recently, but while Zanetti is more than aware of their Group F rivals' threat, he believes there is a way to stop them. "We are facing a great team with great players," Zanetti said. "But we will play our own game by controlling possession and leaving no room for the Barcelona players, because if they find space they can make a difference at any moment."