Inter Captain Samir Handanovic: “Giorgio Chiellini Apologized To Me, I Think I’ll Extend Contract”
Inter captain Samir Handanovic feels that there are no hard feelings with Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini after the foul by the latter in the leadup to the Bianconeri hitting the post.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster DAZN after the match, the 37-year-old stated that his Bianconeri counterpart had apologized after the incident, while he also hinted that he plans to renew his contract at Inter past this summer.
Handanovic went to ground in a sequence which saw Juventus almost score, narrowly hitting the crossbar, but he and his teammates adamantly appealed that he had been fouled by Chiellini.
The Nerazzurri captain was not hurt from the incident, however, and his opposite number was quick to apologize for the physical nature of the challenge.
The episode was just one along the way of a match which saw the Nerazzurri keep a clean sheet and take three massive points, and it is one which Handanovic has put behind him already.
“It was a foul by Giorgio Chiellini,” he said, “the keeper can’t be taken down in the five meters outside the goal. He knows it was and he apologized. The goal would have been chalked off.”
On the impending arrival of Andre Onana this summer, Handanovic said that “Competition is not a problem for me, it’s normal. I’m also pleased, the important thing is that Inter come out stronger.”
“Then we’ll see what happens,” he went on. “I have to think about the last matches inthe league and in the Coppa Italia, it’s yet to be seen what happens after that.”
“I’m a professional, I haven’t yet signed a contract,” he added. “I hope to be able to sign it, I think and I hope It will. After that, no one guarantees that you’ll play or anything else, that’s the point.”
Handanovic also spoke about Paris Saint-Germain and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, stating that “He can become the best in the world but he has to want it mentally.”
“There have been mistakes but that’s also the fault of the team,” he added. “He can be the best in the world, but he has to want it.”
