Inter manager Antonio Conte has praised Hellas Verona ahead of tomorrow’s evening’s game with them at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi, which he is not expecting to be an easy one.

“Both last year and this year Hellas Verona are doing great things. Congratulations to Juric who is doing a great job,” he began his pre-match press conference, which took place a short time ago.

“It will be a difficult game, we can see the results that Verona have gotten against the big teams. They have always created some big problems. We have to be good and determined knowing what we are going to meet.”

The former Italian national team manager proceeded to discuss how the team is doing from a physical point of view and AC Milan’s good start to the season.

“The team played two days ago. Those who played took part in recovery sessions, today we will prepare for the match against Verona.

“We will try to put all the energy we can into it. As for AC Milan, they are doing a lot well and I’m happy for Pioli.”

Next Conte was asked about whether or not he thinks Inter are ahead or behind of his own expectations compared to this time last year when he was only a few months into being the club’s manager.

“Honestly, at a football level we are trying to follow a path that leads to Inter finishing in the very first positions of the table.

“It is a path that has begun and is continuing, made up of work. There is also a parallel one which is the club and you have to ask the club about that.”

Next he was asked about his recent lack of rotation and whether it is down to injuries or due to having a desire for consistency: “Both for injuries and to give stability and have a backbone.”

The 51-year-old coach was then asked about what his assessment of the first part of this season is and spoke on an impending meeting with club management.

“I don’t think my evaluation is important. The important thing is the evaluation that the club must make and in these four months, in which we have worked.

“We will meet after Verona given the decisions taken in the meeting of August. It is right to meet again and understand what solutions we have to face and if we want to face them.”

In conclusion he was asked about Alexis Sanchez’s injury problems and whether him often being injured is linked to his commitments with the Chilean national team: “I don’t know but there is something fairly constant, he gets injured often.”