Inter defender Danilo D’Ambrosio has waved away discussion of his contract extension talks with the Nerazzurri, as it is hardly the time during such an important time in the team’s season.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia after the team beat Empoli 3-0 in the league, via FCInterNews, the 34-year-old stressed that right now the focus is on the matches on the way, and that then there will be time for he and the club to talk about a possible new deal.
D’Ambrosio showed his usual reliability by coming into Inter’s back three and helping the team see out a clean sheet and a much-needed win at the Stadio Carlo Castellani today, with his coach Simone Inzaghi commending the veteran’s performance.
The fact remains, however, that the former Torino defender now has only a couple of months left on his current deal.
D’Ambrosio is far from the only Inter player who is currently in this situation, and there have been some reports that if the team are to failure to qualify for the Champions League next season, their strategy in negotiations with players on expiring deals could change significantly.
However, as things stand the Nerazzurri are still throwing everything at the remaining matches so that they can avoid the potentially catastrophic scenario of missing out on the top four and with it the revenues that come from participation in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, there is next Wednesday’s Coppa Italia semifinal second leg against Juventus to think about, and then a Champions League semifinal tie against AC Milan next month.
Asked about his contract situation, D’Ambrosio stressed “Not at the moment, there are still several important matches left to play.”
“I may have a few grey hairs, but I always try to give 100%,” the 34-year-old said of his role in the team.
“Rotation is always a question linked to results,” he added.
“Had we won other matches with the eleven players who started, the rotations would’ve been a bit different.
“But we’re still fighting on several fronts for goals that are important to us,” he added, “we’re happy to have won, and also that we were able to allow some of the players who play all the time to have a breather.”
Of the significance of taking three points this afternoon in Tuscany, D’Ambrosio said that “We’ve made several missteps, this was a match that we had to win and we won 3-0.”
“Our forwards got some things out of their systems and that gives confidence both to them and to the entire team.”
“Romelu Lukaku can make the difference when he’s physically fit, just like the other strikers, the forwards we have are top-class,” D’Ambrosio added.
“In the last few matches all that we’ve been missing has been a goal, but we’ve been proactive and positive and it’s just been a mental issue, so we haven’t been worried,” he added.
Of how the team plays when Lukaku starts, D’Ambrosio explained that “When there’s a player like him up front we try and get the ball to him, if there are players in support of him then they have a chance of getting the ball from him.”
“It gives us a different way of playing compared to when the other forwards are playing.”
