Carrizo: "We want to make the step up"

APPIANO GENTILE – Inter fans had the chance to get to know Nerazzurri goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo in more detail as the Argentine appeared on Inter Channel’s Caffe Doppio on Thursday evening.

During the interview, Carrizo looked ahead to Inter’s upcoming league match against Atlanta.

"It’s an important game because Atalanta are ahead of us and for good reason," declared the shot stopper. "We missed our chance against Roma and that was a real shame because we’d prepared for the game very well, but now we need to show we want to make the step up. It’s not enough to train well – you have to take care of the tiny details and work hard even when you don’t have the ball.

"On the ball we’re a very good side and our movement is great, but we need to maintain the same intensity without the ball. You can’t take anything for granted. The fans are a massive help – they’re our twelfth man and they’re always there for us."

Carrizo also spoke about his approach to saving penalties.

"You have to do your homework," he admitted. "Sometimes during a match the player realises how important it is to score and goes for the safer side. I’ve never had anyone score a Panenka against me. That’s something that really gets our goat as keepers – you feel like they’re taking the mick. They are pretty infuriating, but at the end of the day football is about having fun."

At 32 years of age, Carrizo believes he has many seasons in him yet.

"I think I can continue playing at this level until I’m 37, but maybe not at such as big club," he explained. "I’d love to keep playing in Serie A. Training is quite intense, but I hope I can stick it out for a few years still. When I do retire, I’d like to go into management. I’ll try and start a course next year."

Carrizo also spoke about his passion for golf.

"Whenever we don’t have a match at the weekend, I go and collect my daughter from school after training and then I go and play for a couple of hours," he revealed. "There are loads of courses around – it’s nice to play in the evening too. On top of playing, I also watch a lot of golf. I’m a big fan of Dustin Johnson, who’s the World Number One. I really like him because his game is aggressive and very tidy."

Away from sports, the Nerazzurri keeper is something of a whizz when it comes to cooking, too.

"I’m good at barbeques!" he revealed. "I used to do one for my team-mates every Wednesday when I played for Zaragoza. I also like baking – Eugenia got my into it when we lived in Rome. It was Valentine’s Day and she wanted me to make her a cake.

"My mum and grandmother taught me to make sponge cake when I was a kid, but I get recipes off the internet or watch tutorials for the trickier stuff. I’m pretty good at them, even though I just learned off the internet. I’ve never studied it. It was good to meet the Cake Boss in the States this year too!"

Last but not least, Carrizo revealed the reason behind him picking the No.30 shirt at Inter.

"It’s the sum of the birthdays of my daughters," he explained. "Delfina was born on the 3rd and Lola arrived on the 27th."