Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi knows that his team must be completely focused on the task ahead as they prepare to face Sheriff Tiraspol in the Champions League tomorrow.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, the 45-year-old stressed that his team are not feeling the distraction of the upcoming Milan derby over the weekend as they prepare to fully devote themselves to getting the result needed in Moldova.
Inter have already beaten Sheriff once, when they hosted the Champions League new boys at the San Siro, but they will face a confident and tactically strong opponent at their own stadium which will pose a different challenge to Inzaghi’s men.
The coach is aware of how important progression into the knockout stage is for the Nerazzurri given that they have failed to do so at the past three times of asking, and so he will see tomorrow’s match as one of the most important ones of the season up to this point.
“It will certainly be a very important match because Sheriff is top of the group with six points, level with Real Madrid, and we are preparing to face a decisive week in the best way,” he stated.
On facing Sheriff away in Moldova he said that “The home factor counts and we know how important it is for us to play at San Siro. But we are here, the stadium is beautiful, the pitch too, and we are looking for a positive result.”
“The team in these last few matches has shown consistency with good matches and results,” he said. “I expect a great match from Lautaro as well as from everyone because, I repeat, it is a really important match.”
And of the match against the Rossoneri on Sunday he said, “The Sunday derby is absolutely not a distraction, it will not unsettle us, it is a very important game and we know how much it matters to our club and our fans, but we have to think only and exclusively about tomorrow night’s game which will be very demanding.”