Akanji: "It's a great challenge, we'll need to be tidy, clinical, and ruthless"

Inter are set to return to Champions League action in their first European fixture of the new year. On the eve of the match against Arsenal on Matchday 7 of the league phase, Manuel Akanji gave his thoughts during the press conference:

Do matches come more difficult than tomorrow’s one? Given the injuries, was there any chance City would recall you? “I think Arsenal are among the best teams in Europe. For me they’re not the very best, but they are certainly among the top sides, so it will be a great challenge, but we’re ready. No, there was no possibility of me returning to City.”

What do you make of Arsenal’s progress? “I don’t watch much football because I have three children at home, but that said, they have a very deep squad with a lot of quality and they’ve shown consistency, which is crucial if you want to compete on multiple fronts.”

What will it take to beat them? “We’ll need to be clinical. When you play against top teams, every mistake can be punished, but the same applies to them. We have to be ruthless and clinical in front of goal, while also being tidy in possession. It won’t be easy, but we have to play as a team.”

Arsenal caused Inter plenty of problems last season and are very strong offensively this year. How difficult will it be defensively? “It’s hard to compare with last year because I wasn’t here. Arsenal are a strong team and they score a lot, especially from set pieces. In Europe you always face top attacking players: Atletico and Liverpool also had very strong forwards. We’ll definitely have to stay focused.”

Is Inter your future? “The earlier question was about whether I’d return in the winter and I said no. What happens at the end of the season isn't only up to me, but I’m very happy here and I hope it can continue. We’ll see what happens.”

What do you think of Chivu? How much has he helped you perform so well in different roles? “From the very beginning, our relationship has been very good. I spoke with the coach on the day I signed, and since then we’ve been in constant contact, even between matches. He’s always available. He’s helped me a lot, including playing in different positions: I even played as a holding midfielder in the last match. I really appreciate his openness, as well as that of his staff and my teammates.”

How much has this group grown? “We’ve definitely made progress, and you can see it in the recent results. We’ve improved defensively and don’t concede many chances anymore. Before, we were letting in more goals. Offensively, we’ve also been very effective, and I hope that shows again tomorrow night.”

In the last match you played as a holding midfielder. Could you do that again in the future? “No, I don’t expect to play there. I can play anywhere and always give my maximum to help the team, but my role is as a defender. At City I played one or two matches stepping into midfield with the ball. I can do it, but I think my best position is in a back three. That said, if the coach needs me there, I’m always willing.”

Who is the best team in Europe? What is Inter’s objective in the Champions League? “For me, Bayern are the strongest team in Europe right now. They play great football, score a lot of goals and concede very few. Our main aim is to win the Scudetto, which is our objective every year. In the the Champions League specifically, our first goal is to finish in the top eight. After that, we’ll see — everyone knows what Inter are capable of.”