Inter enforcer Medel: "If I wasn't a footballer, I'd probably be a dealer"
Talk about an introduction! This is how Gary Medel landed onto the Gazzetta dello Sport’s pages from Planet Medel. The Chilean international talked Roma, huevos, growing up in a rough neighbourhood, climbing up trees and Scudetto.
Let’s see what else the Inter allrounder had to say...
Gazzetta: Can someone with your adventurous life be afraid of Roma?
Gary Medel: I’m afraid all right: of no-one.
Mancini said that “with 24 Medels and a Messi we’d win everything”. What kind of team would it be?
What a wonderful thing to say, it made me very happy. That said a team needs every single one of its 11 players. And we’re playing for the Scudetto!
Is Inter-Roma a title clash?
It is! It’s obvious that you need to beat the smaller teams to make it to the top, but defeat Roma would stop them from running away with it, not to mention allow us to overtake them.
Tell us what Roma are like. And what about Inter?
Roma are excellent. They’re tough, they play good football, they have ways to hurt their opponents, they’re compact, they have rhythm, they can match up against anybody. Inter are fighting for the Scudetto but need to stop making certain mistakes, we can’t drop the points we lost in Palermo
Who is Roma’s best player?
Nainggolan. He’s a difference maker, he runs, he’s cerebral, he helps his team-mates out, he’s a danger in front of goal.
That Dzeko fellow is tall, isn’t he?
He’s good, but I’ve faced opponents who are two metres tall before. I don’t know why I should be afraid of this one!
Speaking of size, were you ever told that you wouldn’t make it?
Many times, from youth level onwards. “Forget it,” they used to say, “dreams never come true”.
You grew up in the Conchalì neighbourhood in Santiago.
That’s right, I played football every day, I was always on the street, my father would have to drag me home by the ear. I was happy playing because my friends were there, but there were also bad people, and drugs. One distraction would be tantamount to going down the wrong path. Had I not broken through as a football, I’d probably be a drug dealer now. Puede Ser.
Did the car crash you have in 2009 change you?
It was seven in the morning, I was on my way home, I hadn’t slept much, and the sun was in my eyes. And I hadn’t put my seatbelt on, either. I nodded off and lost control while I was going at 140 kilometres an hour. I flew through the windscreen and woke up in hospital. When I came to, I touched my leg, but I couldn’t feel it. I was terrified. And then, like magic, my agent waltzes in and slaps my leg. I felt it! That was a sign right there. Stuff like that makes you strong”.
How do you deal with your role as Mancini’s everyman? You’ve got to try hard, and believe in yourself. Maybe I even make mistakes but nobody can have a go at me for not giving my all. Because I leave nothing on the field in the game.
Speaking of leaving stuff on the field, Icardi says that he isn’t getting a lot of service. And the stats back him up.
He’s partly right, it’s a problem right now. It’s not this or that coach’s fault, it’s all on the team, because nobody in the world matters more than it. That’s what I think anyway
How did you handle being benched in the Bologna game?
I have no problem with that. I love to play but I understand if other choices are made. I got to see Erick Pulgar [of Bologna], though, he’ll become very good.
People say Inter are playing badly…
A team can play well or badly, that kind of judgement can be subjective, or obvious. Racking up points is what matters, and creating more scoring chances.
How did you get the name Pitbull?
A former team-mate from the Under-18 squad, Rodrigo Paillaqueo, gave it to me. One day he saw me run full-pelt, without even taking a breather: wherether the ball went, I went, like a madman, like a dog. Like a pitbull!
Who is more of a pitbull, Felipe Melo or yourself?
There’s nothing better than having two pitbulls on one team.
Are Roma and Napoli a level above Inter? I think so, to me they have something more than we do, but we’re working to overtake them.
Why should we believe in Inter’s title bid?
I like Mancio because he likes to press high up the pitch: last seasong we worked to get to that stage, bringing in srtong, expert players, combining them with key youngsters. If we were to avoid certain errors we’d get to Roma and Napoli’s level. I believe we can win the Scudetto, qualify for the Champions League, why not?
How do Inter beat Roma on Halloween?
With heart, with brains, with balls.
What will the result be?
I want to play in that game, not think about it.
