Inter assistant coach Cristian Stellini discussed the Nerazzurri’s important 2-1 comeback over Parma when speaking to gathered reporters in the official post match press conference after the game with his statements being reported by Italian media outlet FcInterNews.
“We are very satisfied with the result and also with how it came out, despite the difficulties we had when we conceded goals in the first half and suffered counter attacks in the first half.
“We managed to overturn it to a deserved result, we suffered some counterattacks but we created a lot of chances. We take home this result with the satisfaction of a team that doesn’t give up, these are important values.”
He discussed the reasons why the Inter squad look more sluggish and don’t resemble the team that excited many before the Christmas break.
“The reasons can be many, we have some shortcomings, we had to rotate players not by technical choice. Today we had two defenders on the pitch who hadn’t played since before the lockdown.
“Then we had a strong team in front of us, with great attackers. We knew we’d suffer, but we created a lot. We remain confident and satisfied. If before the lockdown our path was a medium-long term one, today it’s even more so.”
The Inter assistant coach briefly touched on the title race against Juventus and whether the Nerazzurri can close the gap.
“When you’re behind, it’s not just up to you, it’s also up to the others. We’ve played our season with the desire to get results. We’re convinced we can take satisfaction away from Juve, but it’s not just up to us.”
Stellini dispelled the idea that Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen is struggling disproportionately more than his teammates.
“Eriksen’s not the only one who’s struggling, he’s doing well. Clearly, playing every three days isn’t easy for anyone. He’s determined, and we can’t not go home happy tonight.”
He commented on the fact that both goals against Parma were scored by defenders, Alessandro Bastoni and Stefan de Vrij.
“The chances were there for other players too, we could take advantage of others. The defenders scored and that’s fine.”
Finally, Stellini challenged the notion that Lautaro Martinez has a psychological issue and may have had his head turned by Barcelona.
“I don’t agree, he’s playing well, even tonight he’s creating opportunities. He’s helping the team a lot. I don’t see any difficulty, I see a motivated boy who is doing what he has to do.”
Inter are now eight points behind rivals and league leaders Juventus, who beat Lecce 4-0 on Friday to remain firm at the top of the table. Second place Lazio are four points behind the Bianconeri and four points ahead of the Milanese club.