Inter coach Antonio Conte discussed the Nerazzurri’s clinical 3-0 win over Genoa earlier tonight, the regrets from this season and a second-place finish in an interview with Italian broadcaster Sky Sports Italia immediately after the game.

First, he spoke about how it would feel to finish second in the league behind Juventus.

“The problem is how you see the glass. I think that in the last period, I don’t know why, we have always wanted to see it empty. But there are numbers that speak clearly, these guys are doing very good things and surely you can and must improve. But at the same time, I have to compliment them, they are serious guys, they are not giving up. I’m sorry for some games because I think there are years where you sow little and reap a lot and others vice versa, like what happened at Inter this year.”

The Lecce born coach touched on the situation surrounding Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez. Manchester United have refused to extend his loan spell at the club past the 5th August, Inter’s Europa League clash with Getafe.

“I hope the club can resolve the issue, for three quarters of the season we only played with Lukaku and Lautaro up front plus Sebastiano Esposito who has to undergo his journey. We have to give even more credit to the guys, then I hope the club can resolve the situation because having an alternative up front is fundamental.”

The former Chelsea and Juventus coach discussed how the team will finish the season and what mindset will be followed.

“We have to finish this season in the best possible way. The fans deserve it and we deserve it, because there are numbers that remain and I want them to be important numbers that testify to the good work of the guys. We have the desire and the motivation to get as high as possible. Someone else will win the league but we must have the ambition to finish as high as possible.”

Conte spoke about how it would feel to win this season’s Europa League.

“First of all, I think it’s better to use the verb win than to take home. It’s never easy, in the Europa League there are plenty of teams like Manchester United who want to provide a competition for us.

“In England they say that United has to win the Europa League because they’re playing for the Champions League tomorrow.”

“We want to do our best, I told the guys not to set ourselves limits knowing that we’re on a path and that we want to grow. But it’s not going to be easy with Getafe, they’re a tough team that defends as ten in the penalty area. You think it’s over, but it’s not.

“We’re still going to play in the Europa League after an exhausting journey, I hope we’ll have all the players at our disposal. We’ve done without Vecino and Sensi for practically the whole season.”

Finally, Conte commented on whether having players injured for large parts of the season, like Stefano Sensi, added to his regrets.

“That’s not the issue. You have to deal with unexpected absences, like Vecino and Sanchez. I’ll never stop thanking a footballer like Borja Valero, who I call Saint Borja Valero because he saved us in so many situations where we were tight. Even today he came in and made things right. Then it’s right that we make the right assessments so as not to repeat certain mistakes.”

Inter are now second in the league table, four points behind rivals and league leaders Juventus.