Thuram: "We want to give a big performance"

Marcus Thuram was on press conference duty on the eve of Inter vs. Atletico Madrid. The Nerazzurri striker was alongside the boss, Simone Inzaghi, and he answered questions from journalists present ahead of the UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg tie.

Will you rest before the match? "Tomorrow will be a great match, we'll need to rest before the match." You are in exceptional shape, are you aware of this? "We focus on ourselves, we need to be very serious, as we have been up to now, and be concentrated from the first minute and play a great match." How can Griezmann cause problems? "We know him, he is an incredible player but the “Antoine problem” can be solved as a team, we'll see tomorrow." You are someone who jokes around a lot, have you always been like this or have you found a specific environment here? "I haven't gone crazy in six months, I feel very comfortable here with my teammates and the group; we love playing together and we are friends off the pitch too. It's wonderful to be part of a team like this." This season you've gone up a level, do you agree? "Yes, I learned a lot and I continue to learn game after game. The season is going well and we hope it continues this way." The connection with Lautaro is excellent, how has he improved you? "He is one of the best strikers in the world, if not the best. Playing alongside him is simple, we know our characteristics and we work for the good of the team." What game are you expecting? "We need to go out as we always have done, with the aim of winning and then we'll see about the return game in Madrid. The most important match is tomorrow." The coach said there is healthy competition. What do you think of Sanchez? "Having him in the team is an honour, we know the career he's had, the teams he's played for: he is a great player and I've learned a lot with him." How did you see Buchanan? "He is integrating very well, like all the teammates who have joined. He is a very fast player who can beat his man and we are very happy to have him with us." What is Atletico's greatest strength? "It's a team that defends and keeps the ball very well, with very strong attackers. We'll also have to be aware of counterattacks." How important will Mkhitaryan be? "A lot, he is an incredible player who has been playing very well since the beginning of the season, we look for each other a lot on the pitch." What is Inzaghi's best quality, while what do you need to still improve on? "Inzaghi is very clear, he tells us things when they need to be said and that's a good thing. I have to improve on every aspect of my game, with and without the ball, attacking the goal, but I'm happy to work on it."