Icardi: "I want to win things with Inter"

APPIANO GENTILE – Mauro Icardi reflected on the season that was and his hopes for the coming campaign on Inter Channel's third Season Review.

"It was a year of change with lots of players coming and going over the summer. The club made a lot of signings to make Inter a better team and we had to give our best to try and achieve something," the Nerazzurri skipper explained.

"We were superb in the first half of the season and top of the league until December then we hit a rut.

"Lots of people thought it would be a transition year with so many new lads, yet we managed to do really well. But at the end of the day you have to look at the results on the pitch."

2015/16 was the season when Icardi scored his 50th goal for the club in his 100th match.

"I think 50 goals in 100 games is a pretty good achievement at my age and I'm honoured to be up there alongside other greats but honestly I don't compare myself with others."

Which was his favourite goal of the season?

"There were a few good'uns but I think the one against Frosinone was a real striker's goal. I scored a nice one against Napoli too, when I brought it down acrobatically with my right and finished with my left."

The 23-year-old did more than just score goals, though. One of the cornerstones of the side – he made the fourth-most Serie A appearances – Mauro also displayed a willingness to put in a shift for the team.

"You have to train well every day so that you go into matchday in peak condition. I'm not afraid of hard work. I was a different kind of player when I came here. I don't just focus on scoring now; I try to do my bit for the side. As the gaffer often says to me, if you pull your weight for the team then the goals come as a reward.

"I did sit on the bench for a few games. At first I was angry with myself because I wasn't out there on the pitch – against Roma for example. But we won and afterwards we went into the dressing room to celebrate and it was a great night.

"The coach has to pick the team based on the tactics he wants to play and what he's seen during the week. I didn't have any issues with that but sadly whenever people talk about me it seems there's a problem."

Looking ahead to next year, Icardi concluded: "I hope it will be a great season for us. Let's start the same way we did last season and keep it going till the end. I want to win something with this team. We must try to go as far as we possibly can and get Inter back to where the club belongs."