Inter have two secrets behind their charge towards the Serie A title, according to former midfielder Evaristo Beccalossi.
The Nerazzurri are 11 points clear at the top of the table after beating Sassuolo in Wednesday’s game in hand.
Antonio Conte’s side have won 10 league games on the bounce since the end of January and seem destined to pick up the Scudetto.
Beccalossi was in no mood to tempt fate though, telling Corriere dello Sport on Thursday: “The league table looks beautiful, but let’s stay calm.
“It’s still not the moment to use the word ‘countdown’ yet.
“Inter’s team spirit has made the difference, completing their process of growth, but Romelu Lukaku is the icing on the cake.
“It’s not only for his goals, it’s also about his attitude on the pitch which is indicative of an incredible player.”
Inter had a slow start to the season in which Conte’s side struggled for balance and conceded 13 goals in their first eight league games.
Everything changed from the reverse fixture at Sassuolo though, when Conte reverted to last season’s 3-5-2 system and turned Inter back into a rock-solid defensive unit.
Asked if he was surprised at Inter’s incredible recent form, Beccalossi explained: “The players know what they want now.
“They have an ideal balance because they did a great job in the most difficult moment of the season.
“I’m talking about the start of the campaign, when Inter received excessive criticism and needed time to find the right solution.”
Beccalossi was also asked what he thought Inter needed to do in order to become competitive in the Champions League next season.
“More than anything we need to see what happens at club level,” he argued, referring to the ongoing uncertainty around owners Suning.
“We need to start again from here, with a solid base and a project which is very far along now.
“Let’s not forget Inter reached the UEFA Europa League final last season and finished second in Serie A, having closed the gap to Juventus.”