Inter coach Antonio Conte has revealed that he is trying to protect Stefano Sensi and get him in a position where he can perform to the best of his ability.

Sensi was set to start for Inter in this afternoon’s Coppa Italia last 16 tie with Fiorentina but the injury prone Italian midfielder picked up a calf injury in the warm-up and ended up not playing whatsoever in Florence.

Speaking to the gathered media in his post-match press conference at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, Conte attempted to clarify Sensi’s situation, starting with what happened in the warm-up.

“Sensi suffered a muscle strain in his right calf during the warm-up.

“He told the doctor and spoke to us sincerely and told us that he didn’t feel like taking the risk.

“You all know that his situation is a particular one, in recent months he has suffered a lot.”

The former Italian national team coach then explained what he is trying to do with Sensi, who has had a torrid time with injury since joining Inter around 18 months ago.

“I’m trying to protect him in all respects, we want to preserve him and put it in a position to perform at his best.

“If he didn’t play today, perhaps he can play in the next game, it’s not a problem.

This season the 25-year-old has been limited to just nine appearances across all competitions, with only one of these appearances coming as a starter. He has failed to make any goal contributions.