Shortly after the defeat against Tottenham, Inter coach Luciano Spalletti spoke with Italian TV-station RAI about the Champions League clash at Wembley in London.
How do you analyze this defeat?
“We knew everything about this game, even what was complicated about it. Then we sacrificed ourselves without suffering too much. We only made one mistake, when we let Sissoko accelerate, taking out 2-3 defenders and then they took advantage of the enormous space they got.”
Are you disappointed with the team?
“The team did what it had to do, in every part of the game. Maybe we did not use all the characteristics we have, but if Perisic had taken advantage of that opportunity a few minutes before…We could have dared more.”
What happened with Nainggolan?
“We all understood what it was, maybe it is difficult for you journalists to understand. He had a problem with his ankle, I needed to understand how he would react. I would have substituted him during half-time, then I realized it was not worth loosing also those final seconds of the first half.”
What changed from the first to the second half?
“In the first half Radja did not manage to give us any runs, so we were one player down in the match. We could not hit the ball well, and against a team like Tottenham being one less player is lethal, but our Achilles heal is losing the ball in decisive moments.”
Now it is not up to you anymore, but Tottenham has to play Barcelona at Camp Noù?
“Barcelona have a streak of victories at home, something that can not be allowed to go down the drain against Tottenham. But in these levels this is talk that should not even be there. The way things have been discussed these past few days, it seemed like this team was suffering a lot in the beginning and in the end it did not go that way.”
Your comments on Borja Valero’s performance today?
“He is in a good condition, and on these types of pitches and against opponents like this you need a lot of physicality.”
