ICC 2019, Zanetti: "An opportunity to face some top teams"

NEW YORK - With the presentation for the 2019 International Champions Cup taking place today, Nerazzurri Vice-President Javier Zanetti discussed the nature of this summer’s tournament, as well as Inter’s games against Manchester United, Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur: “I think that the ICC is a really important event for the teams involved, particularly in bringing them closer to fans all across the world. Taking part in this competition is a great opportunity for us. We’ll have some brilliant matches.”

The tournament will also see the Derby d’Italia taking place in China for the first time: “It will be a fantastic game and there will be plenty of fans there. We are both popular in Asia. We hope that the Asian fans give us a warm welcome. It will be great to be back over there.”

From the International Champions Cup to the team’s current fixtures, Zanetti also highlighted Inter vs. Lazio: “We’re aiming to qualify for the Champions League. There are still 10 games remaining and we’ll be coming up against a direct competitor on Sunday. The team is preparing in the best way possible, together with the Coach.”

Icardi? “I think we’ve already discussed it too much. We’re now focusing on footballing matters because we have 10 games that deserve our full focus until the end of the season.”

As for the morale boost after the #DerbyMilano, Zanetti continued: “We’d lacked consistency but the team’s response during the derby was very strong. It was also a crucial result for the league standings. We’re now third and we must continue on this path.”

Lastly, he concluded by focusing on future projects: “Inter is an important club with great ambition – one with a clear vision for the future. We have a well-defined strategy. Our brand is recognised all over the world and it’s capable of transmitting emotions and universal values.”