Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana feels that the Nerazzurri can aim to win the Champions League this season.
Speaking to UEFA TV ahead of the Nerazzurri’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Benfica tomorrow, via FCInterNews, the Cameroonian talked about his ambitions in Europe’s top club competition, and also called fellow goalkeeper Samir Handanovic a “legend.”
Inter are now just about 24 hours away from playing their first of two matches against Benfica, and if they are to prevail over the two legs they can book their place in the semifinals of the Champions League.
From there, Inter can really start to dream.
From the point of view of Onana, the important thing is for the team to always believe in themselves and treat it as a competition in which they are capable of going all the way.
He told UEFA TV that “We’ve made it this far, and in my mind I think that Inter, this team and these players, can aspire to win everything available to us.”
“So we’ll try our best to win as much as we possibly can.”
“Whether we reach the final or not, we will always give our best,” Onana stressed.
“We will do our best, and if we don’t manage to get there we should go home with the knowledge that we did everything we possibly could but that the football gods just weren’t on our side,” the Cameroonian said.
Of his move to Inter last summer, the 27-year-old looked back that “It was wonderful to arrive in a city like Milan, which is a great city.”
“The people here are great.”
“I’m at a big club and I’m very happy here,” Onana said. “The first day here I felt like a kid.”
“There are top-class players here, high-level players who know how to bring you to the next level, like Samir [Handanovic], who is a legend here,” he continued.
Of the Nerazzurri captain and his fellow goalkeeper, Onana said that “He ‘s done a lot for the club and it is an honour to train with him every day.”
“We have a great relationship, including on a personal level,” he added.
Of his outstanding performances against Porto in the last round, Onana said that “Samir was happy for me too.”
“He congratulated me on the win because, in the end, winning is the only thing that matters.”
“You can play well, but if your team doesn’t win, it doesn’t matter,” the former Ajax man said.
“He actually spoke to us before the match,” Onana said of Handanovic, “and I think he knew exactly the right things to say.”
“Then after the match he was really happy.”
“For us it was a fantastic experience, because it had been twelve years since Inter last reached this stage, so it was a celebration,” the 27-year-old said of the significance of reaching this far in Europe’s top club competition.
“We know we have important matches ahead, we have to stay focused, we know it will be tough, but at Inter we’re always ready to come up against any opponent.”
Of his brilliant save during the second leg against Porto in the previous round, Onana said that “It was a very important save for both the team and for me.”
“That’s why Inter wanted me,” the keeper said, “to play the way I have been.”
“I’m very satisfied with my performance so far, but ultimately I’m just here to do my job,” he said.
“And I’m glad I made that save, particularly given that it allowed us to move on in this competition, which is the most important thing for us,” the Cameroonian continued.
“And we had to suffer for it,” he said, “that sometimes happens in football.”
“You can’t always play well,” the keeper noted, “in my view, if we have to suffer to get the win, we just have to accept that.”
