Inter centre back Andrea Ranocchia has insisted that he and his teammates have no other option but to win tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League group stage match away to Borussia Monchengladbach.
He started this afternoon’s pre-match press conference, which he attended alongside Inter manager Antonio Conte, by discussing the difference in performance between the loss to Real Madrid last midweek and the win over Sassuolo at the weekend.
“We always analyse the matches the day after, examining the positive and negative things,” he explained.
“I don’t think there have been any turning points, we had two excellent games even if the one with Real was very conditioned by the episodes, while with Sassuolo we got a good victory that gives us morale for tomorrow’s match.”
Ranocchia was then asked what he and his teammates must do differently compared to the reverse fixture between the clubs on the opening day of the group stage.
“Tomorrow we will have to face the match with team spirit and a desire to win. We know we will be facing a strong team, with great individuals, but being convinced of what we are building and our only goal is winning.
“We can not have any other result tomorrow.”
The experienced Italian defender was then asked how he would describe the current era that Inter are going through given he has went through several different times at Inter since his arrival back in 2011.
“This year, with all the difficulties involved because we finished the season at the end of August, many players went to the national team and played many games, we are experiencing a period of great growth.
“We are in the running for qualification for the last 16, we can still think about getting past this round and this must be our goal in the last two games. In the league we are up there, in some games we have taken missteps but we are here.
“When things go well at Inter everyone looks to put us down and look at the negative aspects. When things go bad everything seems like it needs t be thrown away.”
“Instead this isn’t the case, everything must be rationalised and read in the right way. We are in the running for all the objectives, we are at the beginning of the season. ii is what it should be.”
The former Genoa defender was asked why nothing at Inter is ever done in half measures and why he thinks this is the case.
“Why it happens I don’t know, but it has always been like this. This is perhaps because Inter were used to winning in 2010, but now ten years of not winning have passed and therefore we must think that the way of thinking must be changed.”
Ranocchia then went on to come to the defence of teammate Achraf Hakimi, who has come in for some criticism as of late for his performances out on the field.
“Part of the media attack a lot of players and coach. Now they attack Hakimi, but he has come in from a different league and has to settle in. He has quality but every day I see Hakimi.
“In big teams the players don’t have time, but often the judgments and prejudices are hasty, things must be seen in the right way.
“Here there are many players who can do well, the season is very long and we have also had many problems with Covid. There will be room for everyone, I hope that there is also more rationality from the media.”