Inter coach Antonio Conte discussed the Nerazzurri’s vital 3-0 win over Genoa earlier tonight in an interview with Italian broadcaster InterTV immediately after the game.
“In some moments it’s important to stay on top of things, I’m the first to take responsibility. Especially at the beginning of the second half you had to be careful because you didn’t want to give back confidence to an opponent who seemed to be stunned. So, I saw the right amount of attention and then ended the game.”
The 50-year-old Italian coach touched on how long it would be before fans saw his ideal Inter.
“This is my Inter after a year’s work, with advantages and disadvantages. Some important numbers. We need to be strong in the work we’re doing, the guys deserve to have 76 points, the best defense, the second-best offense, less defeats and more wins than anyone else on the road.
“There was a moment when a lot of criticism was leveled at Inter and I don’t know why. If there is a regret, and everyone knows because I got very angry, it’s about the games against Sassuolo and Bologna.”
The former Chelsea and Juventus coach spoke about what this Inter squad is missing to be the best team in Italy.
“We’re not there yet. We’ve done something important anyway, but we have to think it’s a starting point. We don’t make up 25 points between now and tomorrow against Juventus.
“The new coach doesn’t have the baton that fixes everything, we haven’t won for 10 years and there are general situations that need to be improved.
“As we have intervened, the others have intervened in the market. We must have the humility to understand that a path has begun, which I do not think is short.
“There must be a desire to be proactive and not destructive, as I have seen in this last period. It seemed very strange to me.”
Finally, Conte spoke about whether Christian Eriksen’s deeper role in the defensive phase was something worked on prior.
“Yes, we rehearsed it in training. Borja Valero also fell back when he took over from Christian, then we raised the two midfielders in the middle and put the 3-5-2 back together to be even more unpredictable.
“The trequartista has freedom of action, of coming between the lines, of attacking the space, the input is to try and do what the role requires.”
Inter are now second in the league table after 36 games, sitting four points behind rivals and league leaders Juventus and one point ahead of third place Atalanta, who dropped points against AC Milan yesterday.
The Nerazzurri can secure this season’s trophy with a win tomorrow evening against Sampdoria, but there is still a small chance the Milanese club can win the league this season.
Conte’s squad are instead focusing on finishing the season positively before working hard to win the Europa League, with the first commitment coming against Getafe on the 5th August.