体坛英语新闻：Inter coach Gasperini confident of beating AC Milan in Italian Super Cup

BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Inter Milan coach Piero Gasperini said here on Tuesday that the morale of his club is high and will be able to beat league champions and bitter neighbours AC Milan in Beijing.

Cup winners Inter was beaten by Lazio two years ago at the Bird's Nest Stadium when the Italian Super Cup was first held in China. But Gasperini, who arrived here with his team on Tuesday morning, said that Inter will not make the same mistake this time.

"We will face a tougher opponent this time," Gasperini said. "But I believe that we will be the winner."

Gasperini, who was sacked by Genoa in December 2010, took over as the Inter head coach in June.

"To be head coach of a big club as Inter Milan is different from leading Genoa," he said. "It's a great honor to guide Inter to play Italian Super Cup, Italian Serie A and Euorpean Champions League."

AC Milan arrived here one hour earlier than Inter. Coach Massimiliano Allegri has vowed that the Italian Super Cup could give his side a boost in their hopes to retain the Serie A title.

"It's an important game and we must be focused. We know we're playing Inter and on top of the that we're playing for a trophy.

"It's also a derby so our approach will be crucial. We must be motivated."

The Italian Super Cup is the season curtain raiser contested by the winners of Serie A and the domestic Italian Cup.

It is usually played at the home of the Serie A champions. But in a bid to broaden the appeal of Italian football it has been contested overseas several times before.