Legendary former Inter striker Alessandro Altobelli believe that his former club are on track to be favourites for the Scudetto, and that they are capable of performing well in Europe as well.

Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published in today’s print edition, the 65-year-old gave his views on the state of the Nerazzurri team, and suggested that they have the right qualities to top their Champions League group and beat Real Madrid.

The Nerazzurri are set to kick of their Champions League campaign in a little over week, and in Real Madrid they will face an opponent who they lost to twice last season as they failed to progress to the Champions League knockout round.

The failure in Europe was a major disappointment in contrast to their triumph in Serie A, but Altobelli believes that this year can be different and that the team which heads into Europe’s biggest competition is more mature than the one which crashed out of it last season.

Of Serie A and the Scudetto chase he said, “I still see Inter as favourites, but I know that the rivals will soon find the right set-up. I am referring above all to Juve.”

“In the first two days I saw the desire to win, hunger and teamwork,” he said of Simone Inzaghi’s Inter team. “Conte, Hakimi and Lukaku were important and there is a void to fill, but I think this is a different Inter.”

Altobelli went on, “They play more cohesively as a unit, and there is the great benefit of having kept the defense together and improved the midfield, two areas that decide the season.”

“Even the presence of Sensi can be decisive,” he said. “The attack will have to find fluidity so as not to make the club regret selling Lukaku. I think Inter are still the favuorites for the Scudetto because the team’s spine has remained the same.”

Of the Nerazzurri’s Champions League campaign Altobelli said, “Real is beatable if you take them seriously. If we did not get to the next round, it would be a massive disappointment. Shakhtar have De Zerbi who brought his mentality, but Inter remain superior.”