Inter still have one big obstacle to overcome if they wish to win the Serie A title, according to former AC Milan and Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi.
The Nerazzurri are currently nine points clear in Serie A with 11 games to spare and while they are certainly in a good position, they do not have many players who have won trophies previously during their careers.
During Antonio Conte’s first season in charge last season, Inter came close to success last season but ultimately fell short with them finishing one point behind Juventus in Serie A and losing in the Europa League final to Sevilla.
“Juventus got used to winning, they have been doing it for many years in Italy,” Sacchi explained in an interview for Italian daily newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport on Monday.
“For them, success is an obsession and for Inter this must be a wake-up call.
“None of Conte’s players have ever won, and in the long run this can turn out to be a handicap.
“Not being used to winning, and therefore not being used to withstanding pressure, can be penalising.
“When you’re getting to the final stages of the season, the psychological aspect is decisive.”
Sacchi, who last coached Parma way back in 2001, also shared his views on Inter’s team as a whole and their style of play.
“Conte’s team is doing very well, they have proven to be very strong in certain situations and less so in others,” he added.
“When they come up against teams who sit back and defend, things are not as fluid and harmonious as they should be and Conte will have to work on this aspect.
“It’s OK to use a three-man defence, as long as it doesn’t become a five-man defence.
“These are mechanisms which the coach must insist upon in order to get to the top.”
Inter’s next league match will be at home to Sassuolo on Saturday night, when Conte will return to the touchline after serving a one-game ban against Torino last weekend.