Inter wingback Matteo Darmian feels that the team showed both their quality and their character to win 3-0 against city rivals AC Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg.
Speaking to InterTV after the match, the 32-year-0ld emphasized how the team not only had to play at their best but also had to grit their teeth and work for the result.
Darmian started on the right over Denzel Dumfries despite the fact that the Dutchman has established himself as the more regular starting option, and he repaid the faith of coach Simone Inzaghi.
The 32-year-old worked hard on both sides of the ball to ensure that the Nerazzurri were not overrun but Milan’s dangerous left side, and also helped the team put their stamp on the match with his tireless running.
Darmian is pleased with the result, and happy to have helped them achieve a place in their first Coppa Italia final in eleven years with his work and determination.
“We wanted to get to the final, as is only right given that we’re playing for a great club in Inter,” he said.
“We’re happy given the great performance,” he went on. “We knew it was not easy to keep a clean sheet for the whole match, Milan have great forwards, but we played well even when we had to suffer.”
He added that “We wanted to start strong, with intensity, and that’s what we did. That’s how derbies are, great competitive spirit, but you also have to be good at managing the different phases in the match.”
“We never got discouraged even when we had to suffer,” he added, “with great humility, defending the result. We managed the moments in the match well.”
Darmian explained that “I try to work hard every day, always trying to improve myself and respond when I’m called upon, for ninety minutes or even just a minute.”
“My goal is always to help the team, and I leave it to others to say how I’ve done,” he reflected.
