INTER MILAN COACH Andrea Stramaccioni has praised Inter captain Javier Zanetti ahead of the 39 year-old’s 800th appearance.
The versatile Argentine signed for the Nerazzurri from Banfield as a fresh-faced 20-year-old back in 1995 and 17 years on, is still going strong.
Now 39, club captain Zanetti holds the all-time record for most appearances for a Serie side from a non-Italian player and says he plans to see out his distinguished career in Milan.
“It’s remarkable,” Stramaccioni said. ”I don’t think I’ve even seen 800 games in my whole life!
The captain ought to be cloned,” he said, “because in my view he is not human. He’s bionic.”
Inter battle it out with Romanian runners-up Vaslui for a place in this season’s Europa League tonight and will be hoping for an improved performance on their last European tie, after losing 2-0 to Hajduk Split at San Siro. The Italian side progressed as 3-2 winners on aggregate.
“I think Vaslui represent perhaps the toughest of the teams who weren’t seeded in the draw,” Stramaccioni said.
“They were built to play in the Champions League preliminary round.”
