The President of the Italian Footballers' Association Damiano Tommasi insists Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti can play again next season.

The Argentine has had his torn Achilles tendon operated on this week.

"I trust Zanetti if he says he will return," Tommasi told reports. "If that's the case he definitely will.

"The songs sung by the Milan fans? Some people just want to be in the newspapers or on television.

"If that's their motive then they succeeded. The important thing is we try to give less importance to this sort of scandal."