Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi is expecting a significant challenge when his team face Sheriff Tiraspol tomorrow, but he knows that they are capable of winning.
Speaking in a press conference as reported by FCInterNews, the Italian tactician praised the Moldovan side’s qualities ahead of the crucial Champions League group stage clash.
Inter host Sheriff sitting five points behind the Champions League new boys, who have so far managed shock wins against the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Madrid, neither of whom Inter managed to beat.
The dynamics of the group at this point mean that only a win can keep the Nerazzurri from sliding closer to a fourth consecutive group stage exit from Europe’s top competition.
Inzaghi is ready to have his team do everything they can to make sure that this is not the case even though he is fully aware that it will not be easy against a Sheriff team who won both their previous group stage matches.
“I think they didn’t win two games by chance,” he said of the Moldovans. “We know that we meet a team that will come here on with a lot of enthusiasm, organized, who defend fairly deep but not always, using players who can hurt you on the counter.”
“You have to be good, attack, but don’t lose sight of compactness and shape. We know that tomorrow is a fundamental match,” he went on.
He went on, “My teams create, they score a lot of goals. We have the best attack in the league, unfortunately we have suffered a few more but the lost game remains the thing that made us very angry. I talked to the guys, I saw they were very angry and I am very pleased because I know that I am dealing with winners.”
“Tomorrow we will have to be good at keeping possession while keeping our shape,” he said, “taking advantage of the opportunities we usually create regardless of the opponent. Knowing that we have not yet scored in the Champions League.”
“I don’t think there is a mental block,” he reflected. “Against Real there was a bit of randomness and imprecision. We shot at the goal eighteen times and we didn’t score, the next time we shot on goal nineteen and we scored six goals. Tomorrow we have a great opportunity to win again against a team that is dominating the group as of today.”
On Saturday’s loss against Lazio he stated, “I think that as far as the match was concerned I had come up in the heat of the moment with my analysis, then I reviewed the match and I am even more convinced. For sixty-five minutes it was our best away match.”
“The only big problem is that we weren’t able to get the second goal,” he went on, “we kept Lazio in the game, a quality team. On the occasion of the penalty we made a mistake and we need to improve.”
“We let them back in the game, then the last quarter of an hour is to be forgotten. A strong team like ours must always remain in the game. Yesterday I saw disappointment and anger in the team, I’m glad because defeat hurts everyone.”
“Certainly tomorrow it will take nastiness, aggression, determination,” he said of the Sheriff team. “We face a team riding high on enthusiasm, who are at the top of the group. It will not be an easy match but for us it is fundamental. We want to reverse the trend in Europe, with intelligence and clarity. A victory must be achieved.”
He went on about two Nerazzurri players, stating that “Sanchez and Vidal arrived yesterday. They trained well with the players from of Saturday’s match, they had a good training session. I’m happy that Alexis has played three games in a row for the national team, his condition is improving. When I see he is fit he will undoubtedly add quality.”
He concluded, “The goals conceded are an element that we are trying to improve. We could have scored even more goals despite being the best attack in Serie A. I don’t think it’s a problem with the height of the defensive line. I think it’s a problem with the whole team, they need to improve the coordinated actions, and I am aware of it.”
