Former Inter defender Fabio Cannavaro has hit out at critics of the Nerazzurri and insisted that their goal tally is evidence they are not a defensive team.

Antonio Conte’s side sit 11-points clear at the top of the Serie A table as they close in on a first Scudetto since 2010, and in an interview published in today’s newspaper edition of Corriere della Sera, Cannavaro insisted that a label of negative football was unfair.

“In the end, the results are what count and the coach must answer for this. There are different philosophies, those who try to win with more attacking football and some who prefer a more cautious approach,” the Italian World Cup-winning captain claimed.

“But really, what are we talking about? Look how many goals Inter have scored (69) and create. It’s like criticising Cristiano Ronaldo, as some have done recently, although the Portuguese already has 25 goals in 27 games.

“The truth is that nobody can go all-out attack anymore, matches must be interpreted by opponents and the options available.”

Cannavaro lamented the drawing power of Serie A and Italian football, feeling that other major leagues in Europe were more attractive to players, but felt there was scope to address this decline.

“Unfortunately we no longer have the power to bring in the top young players, they prefer to go to the Premier League, La Liga or to PSG. I had the opportunity to train with Diego Maradona, to mark champions like Ronaldo or Zinedine Zidane.

“In the 80s and 90s we attracted the best of world football. Now this is no longer the case and it must make us think. But we mustn’t get too down. The thing that gives me hope is that we still have enormous room for improvement, because we can’t do worse than this.

“There are clubs that have the opportunity to build their own stadium and manage revenues and resources beyond television rights. As biggest European clubs have been doing for some time.”

Cannavaro was a teammate of Maradona after breaking through at Napoli in 1992 and reflected on the passing of the Argentine icon in November last year.

“Diego left us too soon and left a huge void. But he also left us many beautiful things, fantastic images that I carry inside, as a Napoli fan and as a friend,” Cannavaro concluded.

The centre-back spent two seasons at Inter from 2002 to 2004, making 74 appearances before joining Juventus.