Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi feels that tomorrow’s Serie A match against Juventus will be important, but won’t decide the title race.
The Nerazzurri coach spoke in a press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Derby d’Italia, as reported by FCInterNews.
Inter are now just over 24 hours from playing their second match against Juventus of the season.
The last meeting between the two ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
If that match had already had the air of a potential Serie A title decider, the Scudetto ramifications are even bigger this time around.
Just one point separates Inter and Juventus in the Serie A table, albeit with the Nerazzurri having a game in hand.
So tomorrow’s match could be a big opportunity for either of the two teams to put some real distance in the table.
Inter Coach Simone Inzaghi: Juventus Clash “Important, But Not Decisive”
Inzaghi said that “Tomorrow’s match is certainly very important, but not decisive.”
“It will be a very close match,” he continued.
The Nerazzurri coach said that “The first meeting was not an exciting match. But tomorrow we’re playing at home in a huge match which we’ll try and play at our best.”
“We’ll be playing against a great team who have been on a similar run to ours. We’ll try and prepare for it as best as possible.”
As far as what he expects tactically tomorrow, Inzaghi said that “We’ve played against Juve many times.”
“All the matches have had a story of their own,” he continued.
Inzaghi predicted that “Tomorrow will be very balanced, and we’ll have to use our heads, hearts, and be prepared to run that extra mile to cover the pitch.”
As far as whether he anticipates that his team will be favourites tomorrow, the Inter coach said that “There’s been a lot of talk about that.”
“We know that we’re Inter,” he said.
“We’ve played thirty very positive matches this season,” Inzaghi continued. “But our journey is only beginning.”
“Looking at January we played five matches in 22 days,” the coach went on.
“The last four were far away from San Siro. And we won a trophy that meant a lot to us.”
“January was positive, but we have to look forward. And tomorrow we have a big match that we want to make ours.”
Comparisons To Max Allegri, Talk Of Dumfries & Buchanan
Inzaghi also compared himself with his Juventus counterpart Max Allegri.
“Allegri has won a lot,” the Inter coach noted. “He’s a coach who wins, an expert, and a very practical coach.”
“I like him a lot as a coach,” he went on.
“We’re at different ages. I can say that this season Juventus look excellent to me.”
Inzaghi noted that “To win sixteen matches out of 21 and keep up with us, they’ve needed a super team.”
The Inter coach also denied that wingback Denzel Dumfries has slipped down the pecking order.
“Dumfries had a great first month and a half to the season. Then he had a major injury and has had to slow down a bit.”
“Now he’s been working well in training. In Florence, he came onto the pitch and did very well.”
“Clearly, being a physical player he needs to be at 100%,” Inzaghi said of Dumfries.
“In the meantime, Darmian has done very well and we’ve signed a new player, Buchanan, who I’m very happy with. But he has to integrate into the team.”
“He’ll give us a hand soon,” Inzaghi said of the Canadian.
Inzaghi noted about Buchanan that “He’s an excellent player. For me he’s an out-and-out wingback.”
“He has excellent physical qualities, and is very good playing one-on-one.”
“He’s been with us for a month, and is improving,” the Nerazzurri coach said of Buchanan.
“He will be very useful to us. Just look at the example of Bisseck. He arrived and didn’t speak the language, he was used to playing in a different formation.”
“But he was like a sponge,” Inzaghi said of defender Yann Bisseck.
“He learned more and more with each day. And it will be the same with Buchanan.”
Juventus Lack Of Europe An Advantage
Meanwhile, Inzaghi commented on the fact that Juventus do not have European football to worry about in the title race.
“Playing one match a week is an advantage,” the Inter coach argued.
“There’s no point in denying that. But there’s also no point in talking about it.”
“We know how it is,” Inzaghi said. “Clearly we’re happy that we reached the next round in the Champions League, and we continue on that path.”
“In January we had five matches in 22 days. And in February we’ll have six between now and the 28th.”
Inzaghi said that “I don’t care what others say or do.”
“I know the path we’re on, and the responsibilities we have,” he continued.
The Nerazzurri coach stressed that “We don’t hide.”
“I’ll just say that we’ll try to play as many matches as possible this season.”
“We did well in the Supercoppa, but unfortunately went out of the Coppa Italia early. Now we’ll try and do as well as possible in the Champions League and Serie A.”
