APPIANO GENTILE - "We'll see each other again tonight at the stadium," said Diego. "I'm waiting for you. The door is always open for you," replied José after this afternoon's meeting between the Argentina and Inter coaches at the Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti. Before returning to Milan from Appiano Gentile ahead of tonight's cup clash with Genoa, Diego Armando Maradona gave this brief interview to Inter Channel:

Inter are one of the clubs with the most Argentine players in football history. No less than 35 Argentines have worn the Inter shirt, and there are six in the current squad. Is this one of the reasons why you came to visit Inter?
"First of all I thank Massimo Moratti, who is without doubt my president in Italy. He's an exquisite man and he has made Inter great. Also, he got Mourinho this summer, the coach that I would certainly have brought in if I were the president of a club. He was the best possible buy and I told Moratti too when I had the chance. José has everything: he knows how to talk to the players, to the press, to the dressing room. For me, he's the best."

If there had been the chance, would Maradona have played for Inter under the presidency of Massimo Moratti?
"Yes, without doubt. With all the respect I have for the Napoli fans, who will always be in my heart, I believe that with Moratti as president I would have been an Inter player."

Many things have changed compared to when Maradona played, but the Italian championship is still full of Argentine players...
"Us Argentines are children of Italian and Spanish emigrants, but I think the difference is that we have always got on better in Italy than Spain. My personal story was like this too: I had many problems settling down in Barcelona, but I settled in straight away in Naples, without any problems."

Which is better, life as a player or life as a coach?
"Coaching is no problem for me. No one can forget my story, no one can cancel it out. I have a great team though, all the players play well so we have to work on the heads, and I think I can get every player to do well for Argentina."

They're always looking for the new Maradona in Argentina. They're all saying it's Lionel Messi.
"Let's hope so... I hope Leo becomes even stronger than me. We would all gain from it: Argentine football, the national team and me too as national team coach. This is why I want Messi to be even better than Maradona, not just the new Maradona."

You'll be at the Meazza tonight for Inter-Genoa. What kind of match are you expecting?
"As always in Italian football, I'm expecting a vibrant match. I don't think it will be a very open match. Inter have players capable of winning any match, but we will see."