Conte: "We're ready to do battle"

MILAN - After the pause in the league for the international break, Inter are getting ready to return to action against Sassuolo for a game that will take place on matchday eight of Serie A TIM. On the eve of the match, Antonio Conte answered journalists’ questions at a press conference: “The team has been training really well, this has left me in a really serene state of mind because everywhere you look there is great commitment, desire and determination. When you see this in training it makes you feel calm. It’s important that there is always a great desire to try and improve and I’m continually seeing that. This makes me serene, happy and satisfied.”

Awaiting the Nerazzurri team tomorrow at 12:30 CEST is De Zerbi’s Sassuolo, who have won four of their last six home games: “We are talking about wonderful club, I need to congratulate the one who created this success. There is great sadness at the passing of President Squinzi, who was the one who built everything up. I see a very serious club and a prepared coach. They have clear ideas and there will be maximum respect. They play football in an excellent manner, tomorrow it’s an important match for them and a really important one for us. We will see where we’re at knowing that we are facing a club which is a staple of the Serie A league.

On the performance of the team: “Up to this point, there has been consistency in our results, we haven’t been just been a flicker. Now, we need to continue in this way, trying to improve every day because our future depends on each and every one of us improving. It’s inevitable that when you play seven games in 23 days, there will be less time to work on tactical aspects. We’ve used this week to work on a few new concepts and we have worked on them a lot. These are concepts that maybe we had to forgo during these 23 days in order to give priority to the matches and specific instructions on upcoming opponents.”

With a number of players out injured, teamwork will be important: “It’s only right to consider all the players in the squad as starters. As I’ve always said, I have confidence in every single player in the squad, also because they’re players who we chose to keep or sign. For this reason, I have great confidence in these lads and therefore we’ll approach the situation with our heads held high and our chests out, ready to do battle. This is a certainty. 

“Everyone is really disappointed with the Sanchez situation, we’re talking about a lad who had just got up to speed and was beginning to make a great contribution with his quality, technical ability, character and experience. It’s disappointing for him: he was looking to challenge himself and was doing well. He was working hard to return to being the Sanchez that we all know, it’s therefore a shame for ourselves and for him.”

Finally, the Coach spoke about the Nerazzurri’s youngsters, from Esposito to Bastoni: “Esposito is a lad who spent the whole of pre-season with us, he’s an important prospect for the future but also for Inter’s present. He’s developed a lot in terms of his quality, both from a physical and tactical point of view. He’s a player who’s part of this squad and I wouldn’t have any qualms or fears about playing him. He’s a lad who is working hard and he’ll get his chance, when I decide to play him it’ll mean that he’s in a position to give something to the team. Opportunities can present themselves when unfortunate events happen, we’re trying to look at things with a glass half full. Bastoni is a lad who has already played a full league season, he did well for Parma. He’s an interesting prospect and he’s also both Inter’s future and present. This is what I believe, and that’s why he stayed at Inter. He’s in the frame, whether we’re playing Juventus, Milan or Sassuolo. Every game, he’s in contention to play from the very beginning.”