Inter, Handanovic: “I’d play the Giroud derby again. Maignan is a certainty, Martinez has everything to prove. Provedel? I would have liked competition too”
The former goalkeeper and captain previewed the derby from the perspective of both goals.
Samir Handanovic has seen plenty of derbies. During his long spell at Inter, first as their first-choice goalkeeper, then as a leader and captain, the Slovenian lived through historic moments of great success and periods of extraordinary difficulty. But Milan-Inter stands apart, and is harder still to describe from one end of the pitch.
Speaking to Repubblica, the former Inter youth-team coach recalled the derbies of his career, explained how goalkeepers experience them, reflected on Mike Maignan and Josep Martinez, and looked to the future.
The derbies of the heart
"It was 7 October 2012. Samuel scored early and it finished 1-0. It was all new to me: the choreographed displays, the atmosphere, San Siro going wild. The three saves in the 3-0 win in 2021? That's what we goalkeepers are there for. It was strange, in an empty stadium."
“I’d replay Giroud’s derby”
"There are no ordinary derbies. Anything can happen, including the team in greater difficulty winning and turning a league season on its head. Like they did the following year with Giroud. If I could replay one derby, it would be that one"
Maignan a certainty, Martinez will be too
"Maignan and Martinez? Mike is a certainty, Pepo has everything to prove. A lot of eyes are on him, and he has a heavy legacy to deal with. In goal, every mistake comes under the microscope. Character makes the difference."
Provedel managed well by Chivu
"The competition with Provedel is healthy. Chivu has managed them both very well, with great sensitivity, showing faith in Martinez even during difficult moments and giving Provedel his chance at the right time. Would I have wanted more competition? If I could have, it would have done me good to take a break every five or six games to recover mentally."
Spalletti and Conte
"The coaches who taught me the most? Spalletti and Conte. The former asked me to be the extra man in build-up play. I was already ready; I knew how to play with my feet. From Conte I learnt the winning mentality, which involves the whole club. The bar is raised for everyone."
The captain’s armband
"I remained the same person, but with more responsibility. The captain's armband takes energy away from your game. You have to set an example in everything: how you present yourself, how you train, your behaviour, even your clothes. You have to be fair to your team-mates and act as a go-between with the manager and the club."
The training camp
"How do you know when to retire? When you lose the fire inside. You go to the stadium and no longer feel the thrill. It wasn’t hard for me to stop; I already knew what I wanted to do. I swapped the football pitch for a padel court. During a year as a scout for Inter, I studied to become a coach. Then I coached the youth teams for two years."
De Zerbi and Fiorentina before the training camp
"Last team after leaving Inter? De Zerbi wanted me at Brighton. I would have liked to watch him work up close, even as second-choice goalkeeper. There were talks with Italiano's Fiorentina, but nothing came of them. I’d like to return to Udine as a coach."
Farewell to Inter as manager too
"What happened? I was supposed to take charge of the Primavera, but we couldn't agree on some things, including the relationship with the Under-23s, and we parted ways without any controversy. I want to follow my own path, make an impact and make decisions. Now I'm ready to take charge of a first team. I earned my UEFA Pro licence with a thesis on the evolution of the goalkeeper in the modern game.
I dream of managing Inter. But one step at a time. For now, I study the clubs I like: Fabregas's Como and Barcelona. I like to achieve results through the way we play. I love the 4-3-3 and its variations, but formations don't matter; ideas do."
The penalties
"A record for penalties saved? Intuition and studying penalty takers, including through videos. The same player doesn't take a penalty in the same way at 0-0 in the 90th minute as at 3-0. In the first case, the ball feels heavier and the goal seems smaller, but not for everyone."
