Milano based Gazzetta dello Sport made an interview with treble hero Diego Milito during the Festival of Sport in Trento that celebrated the Inter heroes that won the historic Treble.
Milito started off by talking about Inter’s recent performances: “Today, Inter is on the right track. They have great players and a great coach, and they have to quickly reduce the gap in the league. The only way to do that is by continuing to get good results and give performances like they have in the past month. Inter has to always fight till the end.”
Maybe it’s because of Inter’s surprising performances in the Champions League?
“Their first two games in the group stages were excellent, but there is a lot of room for improvement. Spalletti has a good foundation, but now he has to make the right decisions because playing in the Champions League is different from any other competition.”
The next game will give a more precise indication, in the stadium where your Inter understood that they could win the Champions League in 2010. Was the game against Barcelona the turning point?
“It was a great semi-final against a very strong team, but I do not think it was the fundamental game, just because we had so many that year.”
Today’s Inter does not have many players that have played in the Champions League before this year, do you think this fact could intimidate some of Inter’s players when playing at the Camp Nou?
“Never be afraid. It’s a stage that can intimidate anyone, even for the strength of the opponent because the best player in the world will be there [Messi eds]. I am confident that Inter will play a great match.”
Before the big Champions League match, there is an important derby in the Serie A, how do you feel about the game against Milan?
“The derby is the derby, it is a very special and heartfelt game, and when you play in it, you know that everyone in the world will be watching. You have to put everything you have onto the pitch: grit, determination, and the desire to win.”
Let’s talk about Lautaro Martinez and his move to Inter.
“He is a complete player in terms of physical structure, technical quality, and mentality. He also has a strong personality. He is young but he knows what he wants and how to achieve it. He knows how to impose himself, and that is very important for someone of his age.”
Did you expect him to have this kind of impact in Italy?
“Yes, I am convinced that he can do very well with Inter. He is already doing it but he will continue to grow and give the fans a lot of satisfaction.”
