Legendary Inter defender Andreas Brehme has sang the praises of Inter new boy Achraf Hakimi following his promising start to life in the Nerazzurri shirt.
Hakimi joined Inter in the recently closed Summer transfer window in a €45 million, including add-ons, deal from Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid. In his first three appearances for the club, the Moroccan national team player has scored one goal and provided two assists for his teammates.
“I’ll tell you how it went, I remember that match well. Conte fell in love with Hakimi in Dortmund and he did well. Wing-backs are fundamental in his game plan,” Brehme explained in an interview with Italian daily newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, which appeared in yesterday’s print edition.
“Hakimi is an exceptional player, there are not many around like him. He is technically good and very fast, he will give Inter a huge hand this season, I am convinced of this. In the Bundesliga he was dominant, despite his very young age.”
The former German international was then asked how far this Inter side can go: “The Scudetto. This is why this team was built, otherwise on the transfer market you would not go and get someone like Vidal.
“Last season the distance with Juve was wider than the gap at the end of the season, the Bianconeri eventually gave up but now the gap is reduced.”
Next he was asked if he sees any similarities between his Inter manager Giovanni Trapattoni and current Inter manager Antonio Conte.
“Yes, they are two coaches who are very attentive to the motivational aspect of the game and then both of them have been accompanied by the reputation of playing defensively. This is not the case for Inter, who play attacking football and woe to anyone who remembers my Trapattoni in this way.”
In conclusion Brehme, who spent four years with Inter between 1988 and 1992, discussed Inter’s Champions League group, in which they will come up against German Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach.
“Inter are favourites. They are stronger. I like Borussia, they have dangerous players in attack but their defence is vulnerable and in general they are a team with many ups and downs, while the Inter seems to me to have a more consistent performances. There is no need to be afraid.”