Inter defender Federico Dimarco feels confident that he and his teammates will be able to go all the way in Serie A and win the title.
Speaking on the club’s “Web Media Day,” as reported by FCInterNews, the 24-year-old gave his thoughts on the team’s ambitions on the pitch and also on how he feels he’s done in his first season as a senior Nerazzurri player.
Dimarco returned from a two-year loan spell with Hellas Verona last summer, where he had grown into a key player under then-Verona coach Ivan Juric.
Now, the 24-year-old has become a regular appearance-maker for his boyhood club Inter, both from the start and from the bench, and he believes that he can help the team to a second consecutive Scudetto.
Asked whether he believes that Inter will win the Scudetto, Dimarco replied, “Yeah, for sure.”
“We have to think about one match at a time,” he stressed, “we’re right in it with the other teams and it will be a battle up until the end. We’ll try and stay at the top.”
On who he fears most as Scudetto rivals, he said “Nobody, we only think of ourselves, only we can make our own mistakes. We have to keep going as we’re doing, apart from Sunday’s match – we want to get back to the top.”
On his contract renewal from the fall, he said that “It’s a great feeling, I’m happy to have renewed to keep wearing the shirt of the team I grew up with.”
On his relationship with Simone Inzaghi, he said that “The coach has us feeling good. As far as the pitch is concerned, the important thing is to play our game.”
On Sunday’s disappointing Serie A loss to Sassuolo, he said that “There’s little to say, we are aware that we took the wrong approach. Let’s focus on the next match.”
Of the effect of being Italian champions, Dimarco said that “It certainly gives us a greater winning mentality. We’re in a moment where we’ve struggled to get points but we know our quality.”
“We have to be calm and think about the next match,” he added. “We want to stay at the top until the end.”
On his improvements as a footballer he said that “I wasn’t here last year, but I saw that the team has grown a lot. No matter how old you are, there’s always time to improve.”
“I’ve gone through some difficult moments,” he added, “especially two serious injuries that I had. I always tried to remain clear-headed, in the end the work paid off.”
“I didn’t need much convincing,” he said of his decision to extend his contract. “My idea was clear from the summer onwards, I wanted to stay here without any doubt.”
“I was sixteen when I joined the first team, Mancini was coach then,” Dimarco explained. “From Spalletti onwards Inter began a path of growth, then came the Scudetto under Conte, we hope to keep that path going.”
On the impact of working with coach Ivan Juric at Verona, he stated that “It was certainly very important because he was the coach who turned me into the player I am.”
“He always believed in me,” he added of the current Torino coach, “I will always be thankful to him. He along with Inzaghi has made me grow a lot.”
On his time on loan at Swiss club Sion, Dimarco stated that “It was a difficult season, I was out injured for four months.”
“I practically didn’t play at all that season,” he went on, “it was the right path for me but more mentally than in terms of the pitch. I advise young guys to be mentally strong, to always try and show your best.”
On the arrival of Robin Gosens on the left, he said that “The competition doesn’t scare me, the important thing is that there is healthy competition because that’s what makes sure everyone gives their best.”
“His work on the pitch speaks for itself,” he added of the German, “he had several fantastic seasons with Atalanta.”
On the possibility of a return to the Italian national team, he said that “I have some hope, but a call-up to the national team depends on my performances with Inter.”
On the influence of Aleksandar Kolraov and Alessandro Bastoni in training, he said that “I have a wonderful relationship with both of them, I get along well with everyone.”
“There’s no need to go against each other,” he added, “the player with whom I have developed the closest relationship is Bastoni because we had been together at Parma. Kolarov also gives me great advice every day.”
“Nobody could have known where I would have six years after my experience in the Primavera team,” Dimarco reflected, “I’m happy to be here and I’m only committed to Inter.”
“I hear some former teammates sometimes,” he added, “for example [current Salernitana striker Federico] Bonazzoli, I’m happy that he scored against Milan.”
Asked whether the team wants revenge in the Coppa Italia semi-finals against AC Milan, he replied, “Yeah, a lot.”
Asked about what his free kick technique is he responded, “I don’t know, I’m thinking about it but nothing comes to mind.”
About the mood within the team psychologically after the loss to Sassuolo, he said that “I think that when we were seven points back from the top of the table, everyone thought we were out of it, then in January they were sure we would win the Scudetto no matter what.”
“There are missteps along the way,” he reflected, “the important thing is not to lose our certainty in ourselves.”
“Getting past Sunday’s result, a misstep that we’re aware of, we have to focus on getting back and going for the results in all competitions,” he emphasized.
