Palermo Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is adamant he does not want “revenge” against Inter, though he has “regrets” that his ideas are only now being implemented.
Palermo Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is adamant he does not want “revenge” against Inter, though he has “regrets” that his ideas are only now being implemented.
Gasperini was appointed at San Siro last summer, but managed only five games before he was sacked and returns on Sunday afternoon to take on replacement Andrea Stramaccioni.
“I am not taking tomorrow’s game as a chance for revenge. I just want my lads to play well and get a result,” assured the tactician.
Yet he is now seeing his ideas used by Stramaccioni when they were shot down during his own reign, such as three at the back and signing Rodrigo Palacio.
“A three-man defence is evolution, because in the past everyone only used a 4-4-2. The change was also down to the dynamism that characterises modern football.
“It’s true that now the three-man defence is fashionable and even seen at Inter. In my time there it was not accepted and morally it was an ugly experience. I was upset and disappointed more than angry, as I had formed a good rapport with some people.
“There are also a few regrets that they bought Palacio a year after I had requested him, but at that moment the club didn’t want to adapt.
“Palermo are coming off a great victory in the Sicilian derby, but our place in the table continues to be complicated. It’s a tough fixture list and we need to get points against everyone.
“A victory at San Siro would give us that step up in quality and we’ve also got to change our form away from home.”
Fabrizio Miccoli and Massimo Donati are both suspended for this trip, so Gasperini has called up two youth team players as well.
Palermo squad for Inter: Benussi, Brichetto, Ujkani; Cetto, Garcia, Goldaniga, Labrin, Milanovic, Morganella, Munoz, Pisano, Von Bergen; Arevalo Rios, Barreto, Brienza, Giorgi, Ilicic, Kurtic, Sanseverino, Viola, Zahavi; Budan, Dybala