Inter did everything to help Adriano: Mourinho

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho said on Friday that the club had done everything possible to help troubled striker Adriano, who on Thursday announced from Rio de Janeiro that he would be taking a sabbaticle.

The 27-year-old former Parma forward has not returned to Italy since heading to Brazil at the end of last month for international duty and on Thursday he told a news conference in Rio that he needed time off.

“I’m not planning an immediate return to Italy. I’ll be unhappy there,” he said.

“I need to think about my career. I’m not happy in Italy. I am here in Brazil with my family and friends.”

Adriano had taken refuge in the favela where he grew up and his ex-girlfriend Joana Machado said he felt lost and had returned there as it was the only place that felt like home for him.

Now Mourinho has washed his hands of the Brazilian who appears to have no future at Inter.

“I didn’t want to talk about this before and I’m not going to talk about it now either,” said the Portuguese boss.

“Inter have done everything possible to help him before I arrived and since I’ve arrived.

“If he stops playing and becomes a happy man then that’s perfect. I’ve not yet spoken to him but we have to understand the reason for these words. We’ll see.”

Adriano’s agent Gilmar Rinaldi has come to Milan from Brazil, reportedly to arrange a termination of Adriano’s contract with Inter, but Mourinho refused to speculate on that.

“He (Adriano) was the first one to speak about that and it’s up to him to do what he wants. All I know is what I read in the press,” he said.

Ahead of the visit of Palermo on Saturday, Inter have a nine-point advantage over second-placed Juventus, who face a tough away trip to fourth-placed Genoa.

With the crucial Juve-Inter clash just a week away and only eight games left to play, Mourinho said his team is concentrating on what they need to sew up a fourth straight title.

“We can’t start thinking that Juve will drop points. We have the opportunity to take 12 points at home and that would practically be enough for us to win the title at the San Siro,” he said.

“We need another 15 points, our advantage isn’t decisive. Our fans need to understand that it’s not over yet, we need their support.

“It’s never happened to a team to lose the title in the last two months but you never know.”