Barella and Sommer: “We played as a team and won by digging deep: an important statement.”

“Coming here and beating this Roma side is not easy. We showed we’re a great team, and we’ll take this win. It’s true that we dropped off a bit in the second half, probably because of the fatigue from the international break, but we’ll acknowledge those negatives too: wins like this remind us that matches are never simple. Everyone gave everything, even those who came back tired from international duty, and for that I have to congratulate the whole team. It was important to break the deadlock early, and then we showed selflessness and a real sense of team spirit. Everyone ran for each other, and that’s what makes the difference, what’s brought us success in leagues and cups before. If we truly rediscover that spirit, I have huge faith in this team. I think Inter have always been strong, even in difficult moments: mentality counts for so much in football, it’s not just about legs and feet. We needed to find ourselves again. The coach understands that, he’s been through it himself, and who better than him to guide us through this new chapter?”

“We played as a team: it was a tough game, and it was crucial to get back to the top of the table and prove that we can be resilient. We know how to be a team; we stayed tight against a strong opponent. Handling challenges is also important; our second half wasn't our best, but we defended with determination, staying united and organised. We've made some changes to set pieces with the new coach: now we defend more in terms of area. For me, as a goalkeeper, it doesn't change too much, but it's different for the players. Today we struggled a bit in a few situations, but we'll work on it. We often score from corners ourselves, so that's something we need to improve in terms of defense, too. That last hug with the coach? It was a really beautiful moment. We're delighted for him, for ourselves, and for how we fought. It was a tough game; we struggled a lot, but we gave our everything. When the referee blew that final whistle, we were just overjoyed: three very important points, and now we get to go home happy. Experience is important: we were in lots of tricky situations, and I know that when a team stays calm and united, that's the most important thing in a squad. Moments like this highlight what it truly means to be a team. At Inter, there's a lot of pressure if you lose, but we're aware of that. With a new coach, we needed some time at the start. We're not exactly where we want to be, but we've improved, and we're close to it. ”