Jusst a few days before the start of his second season at Inter, Milan Skriniar sits down for an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, to talk about his personal and team ambitions for Serie A 18/19. Starting from the season objectives but also talking about his decision to stay with the Nerazzurri, despite rumoured offers from around Europe:

After reaching the goal of Champions League football last season, do you think the fans are expecting more this season? What do you make of the talk for a Scudetto push?

“We are Inter, which by definition is a club that must always be at the top, challenging for titles and that is how we are stronger than last season, the goal is to stay as high as possible and achieve great results in the Champions League.”

In the Champions League: Is it better or worse to face big teams right away? 

”For me it will be the first time in the competition, so I have no preference: the opponent does not change anything, even against Real Madrid and Barcelona we can do great things: Inter is a top club, we want to get through the group.”

Mourinho wanted you at Manchester United and your agent said that the Five of the best clubs in Europe wanted to sign you. Have you ever thought of leaving? 

“It is positive reading or being told that you are attracting the interest of the big teams, but I never thought about leaving, I’ve always said: let’s see what happens with Inter, that’s enough for me.”

In which case will you be renewing with Inter? 

“It’s not done yet, my agent and the management are talking, let’s see what happens.”

Do you think you can say “I will never play for Juventus or Milan?”

“[laughs] Okay: in Italy I will only play for Inter.”

What is different about Spalletti from the other coaches you have worked with?

“With Giampaolo at Sampdoria, I learned to be a defender. With Spalletti I work more on the smaller details. For example: he insists a lot on body shape and when I pass the ball I have to be careful of my teammates favoured foot, I can not put it on the right to a left-handed, or vice versa otherwise the coach.”

You used to be a midfielder, did you prefer it? 

“Let’s say it was more … relaxing, I knew I always had four defenders behind to save me, but now I have more responsibilities, behind me there is only the goalkeeper. The past helps me because I can take risks and it’s not a problem for me, sometimes I prefer a more complicated pass or passage of play that can bring benefits to the team rather than a straight-forward sideways pass.”

He operated his eyes in June. Inter fans will now ask themselves: who knows how well he’ll play this season when he can see properly

”I now see everything much clearer, before I used to struggle to read things from afar but now it’s much better, it’s all been resolved, even though it didn’t cause me any trouble on the pitch.”

What about VAR: do you like it? Or do you think it confuses the game, as many say? 

“I agree with the fans, it’s not nice to be there waiting 5 minutes for a decision, but the situations are clearer and there are less mistakes as we’ve seen at the World Cup.”

If you were not a footballer, what would you like to be? 

“I do not know how to answer that because as a child I always dreamed of this career as a footballer. I saw my dad and my brother playing football, I love football and I can tell you now: when I stop playing I will become a coach, or work with the academies at the highest level.”

 Is it true that we Italians are over the top for our football? 

“Well, you’re a little crazy, yes, but I already knew that before I came to Serie A. I like it: it’s great to come to San Siro and see 70,000 fans in the stands”.

Who is the most difficult attacker you have faced? 

“I’d say there are two: Higuain and Simeone. The first does not press, he runs short, but when it comes close to the box he is dangerous, you can never switch off. Cholito instead is one that puts pressure on you the whole game, it is tiring.”

Do you study your opponents?

“I used to before, I was documenting it before a match, but now I prefer to concentrate on myself, on my mistakes, I review my games and try to correct myself.”

What type of captain is Icardi?

“Before the friendlies he talked to the team asking for the maximum as if we were in the league. There is not a way of saying it but he is a real captain.”