Inter’s Stefan De Vrij: “Tomorrow’s Match Important But Not Decisive”

Dutch international defender Stefan De Vrij accompanied Samir Handanovic for the press conference on the eve of Inter’s next Champions League match in his native country against PSV Eindhoven.

The Dutch defender started by describing how he’s settled into to his new club: “I’ve settled in well. The squad is like a family and I’m really happy”.

How different is it playing for a club with all these big expectations?

“Yes, I knew that it was a bigger club, with more fans and that there would be more pressure, but it doesn’t bother me.”

The team has started to perform well after a poor start, what happened?

“There were a lot of new faces, like myself, plus a lot of players only came back a week before the championship started, due to the World Cup, but now everyone is back to normal.”

You’ve had a bad experience with PSV. Have you spoken to your teammates about the 10-0 loss you suffered while at Feyenoord?

“Some of them might know, but I have not said anything. It was one of the worst moments of my career, but I have also won here.”

Have you seen PSV play lately? What do you think of them?

“I’ve seen glimpses. I know they lost against Barcelona. But they have fast wingers and usually play with intensity, so it will not be an easy game for us.”

How is it being back in the Netherlands seeing family and old friends? What do you expect from the game?

“It’s nice. I’m going to need 27 tickets for friends and family to be at the game. I expect a great contest, with a lot of action and a great atmosphere.”

Was the victory against Tottenham the key to unlocking the real Inter?

“It was definitely important after the defeat to Parma, which none of us expected. It was nice to win the first match in the Champions League, for the fans but also to put us in a good position within the group.”

What do you think of the atmosphere at the Philips Stadion?

“I’ve never played in a Champions League match here, but it will certainly be better than a league atmosphere. Inter is accustom to playing through the environment.”

What are PSV’s strengths?

“In my opinion, they are great at counter attacking. When they recover the ball, they are able to use there great speed on the wings to push forward and potentially take their opponents by surprise. They also have an annoying striker who does a lot of dirty work for the team. They have good chemistry.”

Will tomorrow night’s match be decisive to qualify for the group?

“I agree with Samir. It will be important but not decisive.”