Sinisa Mihajlovic shared his thoughts on today’s Serie A fixture at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza between Inter and Torino during yesterday’s official pre-match press conference.
”It will be a very difficult game against the 2nd place team in the league, in front of over 70,000 spectators. If we give it our all on the pitch I don’t expect a defeat. If we go into the game with fear then of course we will lose. There strengths must not make us weaker but we must defeat their strong points. The perfect team doesn’t exist and it goes with out saying that Inter is not perfect either. Almost always the better team wins, we want to change that word “Always”. We will go to the San Siro and play our game and give it our all with intensity and we will go there to play, We won’t go there to not lose” Mihajlović began.
The Granata coach was then asked to comment on Inter coach Spalletti stating that “I haven’t followed him much but if he’s securing these great results it’s to his great merit. He’s always done well. The team defends itself nicely and is very well organized. It’s true that I was once a thorn for him. When he coached Sampdoria, I played for Lazio, scored 3 goals on free-kicks and he was then sacked. Perhaps he doesn’t remember but I do.”
Mihajlović was then asked to compare Icardi with Belotti stating that “Icardi is an extraordinary player, he has character and always plays to win. He also now plays more in the defensive zone. He’s a complete player who always has his eye on goal. Perhaps he doesn’t contribute much in the play but the second you take your eye off of him he scores. Anyway, he’s not the only player on that team. We know they will put is in difficulty, but we know we’re a great team that can put them in difficulty as well. The most important thing is not playing afraid and to play our own game. I’ve been a coach for many years and the pressure excites me. To do this job you need to believe not just in yourself but in the players. There could be tough days but when you see the lads perform well and then it all pays off in the end. You can’t lose confidence and showcase it as well. Must always stay relaxed and calm and not read the papers too much, however, I also understand the tabloids need to earn money as well. A coach can never feel worried. It’s unusual for my players to see me worried, I’m focused on maintaining serenity and if I have to get angry then it’s because there is a need to.”
Speaking about the tactics he will deploy against Inter he replied that “We’ve tried various things. You will see. We can make modifications even during the game. We will see if I play a 4-3-3 or if we go back in history or maybe make up something new. I’ll be sure that we will have 11 on the pitch, hoping we will play with 11 for the entire match.”
In conclusion Mihajlović spoke about Inter’s weaknesses stating that “they have a defect but I won’t tell you about it. They have strong players that can change the game in an instant. They can win games without playing well, they say it’s due to luck but it’s not.”
