Inter manager Antonio Conte has stressed that he is satisfied with what his team are doing at the moment, especially during a period where he admits there has been no alternatives.

“Honestly, I think Parma has their own physiognomy,” he began his pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s match at San Siro.

“Liverani’s teams always try to play football. It is inevitable that there will always be a strategy behind every match. Just ike we have one, Parma has one too.”

Conte was then quizzed on the condition of striker Romelu Lukaku, who the club confirmed had sustained a muscle injury, and whether there is any chance of being able to recover him for the upcoming Champions League group stage clash with Real Madrid.

“He got this muscle problem during the match against Shakhtar when he kicked the free kick. He still has this fatigue and it is right for him to recover in the best possible way.

“You know very well that Romelu is important for us, as well as the others, especially given the absence of Sanchez who came back from the national team with a problem.

“We are monitoring the situation trying to act for the best of the player and Inter. We are certainly sorry because in this period we would have needed him. We are recovering some players from the coronavirus, but I have great confidence in the players available and we must do well regardless.”

The former Juventus manager was then asked about whether Sanchez could play against Real Madrid and whether Andrea Pinamonti is ready to play.

“Honestly you have to wait for the doctors and the player to give the ok because sometimes too much desire to play makes the player make a wrong decision.

“You have to be patient and try to experience what happens, especially for the players because as I said the players have to take great responsibility and they have to be aware of the situations because forcing can lead to negative consequences for them and the team.

“I think that everything is needed to gain experience especially for the players rather than for me or the medical staff.”

Next Conte was asked whether Roberto Gagliardini will have to wait to return following his recovery from COVID-19.

“What we did with Young might have been surprising but we were very good at managing the emergency, trying to keep them fit at home.

“They are all borderline situations because risking him could be a question mark, at the same time we knew Young was trained and that Perisic needed to rest. They are all situations created by a momentary problem for which you have to make a virtue of necessity.

“Gagliardini is fine, he trained at home and the parameters are good. He is available to all intents and purposes and I am happy to have him back because the midfield and attack were very affected in this period after the break for the national teams.”

The former Italy boss was then asked if Gagliardini returning to action could see what Arturo Vidal does on the pitch change.

“Arturo is a player who has reached an important level of maturity. He had great experience, when I had him previously he was much more attacking, he attacked the spaces and the box a lot. Now he seems more mature and empowered.

“I can ask him everything. Look at the characteristics of the midfielders so many are more attacking than defensive and this leads me to ask Arturo to occupy a more strategic position, but I’m really happy because he has brought us personality, experience and nastiness.

“He too has had to play always and in this period I was a bit afraid because he arrived after a period inactivity at Barcelona and he also played for the national team.

“He has responded great, if there is a chance to give him a little breathing space we will take it because otherwise we risk overloading the players and getting to the last matches of this phase really tired.”

He was then asked about his decision to not comment on refereeing decisions that have went against them in recent matches.

“I think it is right to make assessments in the appropriate places and that the club and the managers eventually make themselves heard in certain situations. It is not good that it is always the coach who has to expose himself, but from this point of view we are focused on football and the players too. The management will take care of the rest if there have been negative episodes.”

Next a journalist asked the 51-year-old about whether he is satisfied with the performances given by central midfielder Marcelo Brozovic as of late.

“I am satisfied with what all the players are giving and I must be doubly satisfied because they have done it at a time when there were no alternatives.

“Even when I saw fatigue in training I couldn’t do anything else and I asked for an extra effort from the player. I can only be satisfied.

“Brozovic has played the last two very important games, he knows he has room for improvement but I can only be happy with him and all the others, no one is excluded. The team are doing well, there is great availability.”

In conclusion Conte was asked about whether Ivan Perisic could be used at striker and Parma’s Gervinho, who has been linked with Inter ahead of the January transfer window.

“Perisic has already played as a striker in the pre-season period last year. He has characteristics whereby he can play as a striker and can be an important alternative in the attacking duo. We will try to continue along the path we have chosen.

“The same goes for Pinamonti who has returned to Inter, he has to grow up and eat hard bread but he is showing great attitude and application. He has entered our project well and therefore must represent an alternative since Lukaku and Sanchez are not present and Lautaro is always playing. We need to make careful evaluations.

“As for players from other teams I don’t talk about them. Gervinho is an excellent player, he has done very good things but I have great respect for him and especially for my players. I’m happy with who I have and I’m not thinking about January, but only tomorrow as we have a tough game.”