Stellini: "It's important for the whole group to be involved"

MILAN - It was a comfortable and deserved win for Inter, who beat Benevento 4-0. Improta’s own goal from an Eriksen free kick got the night started on the right foot before Lautaro’s finish and a Lukaku brace finished things off in the second half. Following the full-time whistle, Cristian Stellini looked back on the match after filling in on the touchline for the suspended Antonio Conte.

How important was it to respond following victories for AC Milan and Juventus? 

“My compliments to the whole team, the schedule allowed us to use all of the players that we have available to us and it was a positive response today from everybody. These matches always bring up hidden dangers, the most important thing was how involved all the players were, something which is vital considering the busy schedule. We’re very happy that everybody knows what they have to do when they’re called upon.” 

Tonight, Eriksen played with with more consistency as a deep-lying playmaker. Did you like his performance, how’s he dealing with the new role?

“I liked him a lot, the same goes for the whole team. Christian is adapting quickly to this new role. It’s a position which requires tactical intelligence and he’s applying himself to it brilliantly. He’s using all of his quality to be of service to the team. We expect this of him, he’s adapting very well and we expect great things from him. He also did some excellent work defensively, and we’re delighted because we’re working a lot with him. He’s a top quality player and we’re happy that he’s here with us. In his career, Christian has played in almost every midfield role and players like him can adapt quickly to any situation. We’re happy with what he’s giving and he needs to keep it up.”

How did the players deal with Conte’s absence from the dugout?

“The lads know full well what their approach should be and the consistency they need to keep. Even with the Coach absent from the sidelines, they’re aware of what they need to do.”

Inter are the only team in the league to have two strikers that have reached double figures in terms of goals. How much do these numbers depend on Lukaku and Lautaro’s understanding?

"The team are good at putting them in the right positions to score, with our two strikers also being our first defenders. Lukaku, Lautaro and Sanchez work really well and are excellent at staying focused on what is asked of them. The thing that gives us the most satisfaction is that the whole group is responding to our instructions correctly.”