Lautaro Martinez has insisted that he is happy to be at Inter in an interview with newspaper La Repubblica, in which he firstly spoke on the importance of humility.
“My father taught me that life can be difficult, but it must be lived to the fullest. He was a nurse, he was always calm, as am I. On the field I have to learn to control myself more. I do my best, but every now and then I realise I’m still young,” he began.
“Having experienced hardship, it strengthens you. It helps you keep your feet on the ground and work with humility. In this regard myself and Lukaku are very similar. Romelu is only 26 years old but has great experience in life and football. He has scored many goals in great teams and retains a noble heart. On the field, the secret is to help oneself.”
He was then asked about his future amid continued links to the likes of Barcelona and his relationship with manager Antonio Conte.
“I am happy here, it is my home. Conte has helped me to improve. He gave me the minutes a player needs. He trusts me and I feel confident.
“Conte and I have gotten to know each other very quickly. It seems incredible to me that only five months have passed. The thing I appreciate about him is his passion for football. It is deep and contagious.”
“The interest in me confirms that I’m working in the right way. It means I’m growing up and I’m doing good for Inter and for me it’s the most important thing.”
Next he spoke on his relationship with Javier Zanetti and who convinced him to join Inter.
“When I was in Argentine he was calling me and we were messaging each other. When we met in person at Pinetina it was like coming together after a long time.
“Who convinced me to join Inter? It was my decision. I had many offers but I refused them. When Inter arrived, I realised that it was time for the jump in Europe. I chose the club for its history, for the level of the players, for the affection I felt immediately.”
The 22-year-old then spoke on what he felt the biggest strength was of this Inter team as a whole.
“The mentality. The players called upon to replace the injured have shown it. They hadn’t played much, but they were ready. It is the sign that the group is there.
“I know it doesn’t seem possible, but we really do think game by game. we are doing a great job, we are growing. We need to improve concentration and cunning in closing the games. We are on the right track but we must mature.”
Lautaro proceeded to discuss his friendship with Mauro Icardi.
“We are friends, we talk. When I arrived in Milan he didn’t just give me a hand, he gave me two! He helped me to settle down as I didn’t even know the language. He is happy with what I do. Even when we were teammates we worked hard to make sure I played my best. That is how he is.”
He concluded by discussing what his dream is.
“I want to play at a World Cup. I nearly went to the 2018 one. It would be great to help Lionel Messi win a World Cup. It would be a great thing for all of Argentina.”
