Bastoni: "Limit errors in order to improve"

Inter return to Champions League action when they host Shakhtar Donetsk at San Siro on Wednesday, 21 October, with kick-off at 21:00 CEST. On the eve of the match, Alessandro Bastoni looked ahead to the encounter as he answered questions from the media at the Inter Training Center.

Even though it comes early in the league phase, this match carries a different weight from those you might play later. You need points to qualify. How important is it?

We need a result tomorrow; otherwise, finishing in the top eight will become extremely difficult. I’d like to say, and this is my personal view, that we need to be more realistic. The finals and the runs we’ve had in the Champions League in recent years belong to the past. I’m not saying we’re no longer that team, but our fixture list and recent matches need to bring us back down to earth. As my teammates and the coach have said, the Champions League is a dream. We’ve never said it was a target. I wanted to put our expectations into perspective. We need to deliver a strong response, starting tomorrow.

You’ve won with both Inter and Italy using different formations. Is there a tactical adjustment that could help you overcome the difficulties you’ve been having at the start of games?

I don’t think it comes down to formations, coaches, or external factors. It’s about the players on the pitch and their mindset, which covers many things, from carelessness to a lack of desire, or simply having an off day for other reasons. Each of us needs to be honest with ourselves and take individual responsibility. When you look at the incidents separately, you see a lot of individual mistakes. Improving in those areas would allow us to take a big step forward.

You’ve fallen behind six times already this season. Is that down to mentality or a lack of balance? Is it a combination of factors or individual mistakes?

When you fall behind that often, it’s a combination of things. But when we analysed those games with the coach, we saw that we conceded few goals with our defence organised or from counter-attacks. A lot of the time, it came down to individual mistakes, which brings me back to what I said before. Your mindset involves all sorts of external factors, including the energy you have on the pitch at a particular moment, rather than technical or tactical issues.

What do you think is behind the individual mistakes you’ve made?

I don’t think complacency is the right word for our attitude. I’ve never seen the team go into a game lacking focus or taking it lightly. Perhaps we don’t recognise danger quickly enough. We think it’s difficult to score against us and end up giving away chances too easily. Addressing that will be important, but it won’t be straightforward. You can work on technical and tactical things during the week, but it’s harder at an individual level because there are more factors to consider. If we can do it, though, I’m certain we’ll concede less and take steps forward.

Have things calmed down around you since your two goals for Italy? Do you feel more affection and support than in recent months?

It’s not as though I was getting applause at away grounds before this year or the past few months either. Fans and the way they react are part of sport, and that’s fine. It’s not true that I have nothing to prove to anyone, because I always go out there to give my best and show my worth. But the club and the coach have stood by me. People have said I went through a very dark period, but I didn’t see it in such a negative light because my threshold for what I’d call a truly dark period is very high. Perhaps it was a dark spell in footballing terms, but the people around me helped me move forward, and time puts things right.

In both Serie A and the Champions League, your approach has always been positive despite falling behind. Mentally, does a player who has lost seven of his last eight Champions League games feel more pressure?

Speaking for myself, no. My approach and that of my teammates won’t change. We could have taken the lead against both Real Madrid and Club Brugge, but key moments decide games. We want to keep being ourselves and playing our football.

Do you think you can carry your league form into the Champions League? What have you worked on for tomorrow’s game?

There isn’t a huge difference between the league and the Champions League. Our approach and the way we play stay the same regardless of the opposition. If we limit our mistakes, we’ll do better in the Champions League. The teams we face in this competition have more attacking quality, and it’s difficult to pin them back when you’re chasing the game. We’ve recovered a little since Bologna. Tomorrow we face a quality side with lots of Brazilian players, but our mentality doesn’t change.

Have you changed anything in the way you and Dimarco move on the left? Would you feel comfortable playing in the centre of defence?

Not much has changed. I’ve been playing this role here for eight years, so the way we move is no longer a surprise. Opponents now know what to expect from Dimarco, the rest of the team and me. We need to find different solutions and bring more variety to our play. I’d have no problem playing in the centre. I often find myself there anyway when we rotate in possession.