Inter Coach Simone Inzaghi: “We’re close to finishing in that top 8 and nothing is guaranteed.”
By Anna Italia
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Inter coach Simone Inzaghi shared his thoughts as the team prepares for the UEFA Champions League clash with Monaco. Inter will take on AS Monaco on Matchday 8, scheduled for Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, starting at 21:00.
The aim is direct qualification to the knock-outs, but would a win have a different meaning?
“We can’t make any calculations. We know we’ve done well in these first seven games, but we now need to take that final step. We’re coming up against a good side: they’ve got 13 points and have some dangerous forwards. I came up against their coach in Lazio vs Eintrach Frankfurt in the Europa League. There’s the utmost respect but we want to have a great game.”
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Will you make changes ahead of the derby?
“We still need to rewatch the session. I will make the odd change but we’ll decide tomorrow. There are a few doubts. Acerbi, Calhanoglu and Correa are unavailable. Taremi has trained alone in the gym in the last couple of days after he picked up a knock against Lecce. We hope he’ll be in the squad.”
Is it right to call Inter one of the favourites for the Champions League, or is it more of a dream at the moment?
“We know what we’ve done and also the difficulties we’ve faced in the last few years. The Club has never left me wanting for anything. We knew what we were capable of. We’ve lost a few players and brought in others. We’re close to finishing in that top 8 and nothing is guaranteed. Our hope is that we’ll be talking about a great run. Some big sides won’t finish in the top 8: that is the difficulty of this competition.”
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With Taremi injured, will that open up a spot for Arnautovic? And who might play with him up top?
“Right now, any of the strikers I have available might play alongside any other forward. They all complement each other and there are no set partnerships. I need to make a choice. Arnautovic trained really well, while Lautaro and Thuram have recovered. I will make my decisions based on Monaco, not with a view to the derby. I will take into consideration who has spent the most enegery in recent games.”
How is Calhanoglu?
“He, Acerbi and Correa are out. All three of them are working well – we’re confident. We’ll need to assess it over the next couple of days. We’re confident, so let’s wait and see. They have all been working hard.”
Are you surprised by how the French teams are getting on?
“Ligue 1 is a competitive division. I expect Lille, Monaco and PSG to be in with a shout. Brest are doing brilliantly as well. There are a lot of talented players in that league, and that’s no different for our opponents.”
Is there a different approach to Champions League game to those in Serie A?
“I think that Inter have been really focused going into their Champions League. The only goal conceded came from a strange situation. The team has been aggressive, focused and determined the whole time.”
Can Bisseck play in the central role in defence?
“He can. He showed as much when he’s started there, as well as against Lecce on Sunday. He’s playing as the third defender right night but, on occasion, he can move inside. We have Acerbi for that role, who’s on his way back, De Vrij as well. Then Bisseck can play there too.”
There has been talk of a couple of departures, will there be any movement?
“I know there have been talks, Palacios for example. He’s working hard and is getting better. These five months with us have helped him a lot. We spoke to the Club because, obviously, he’s only played three times. But there have been a lot of enquiries for him because he’s clearly a talented player, so he will probably play elsewhere. A lot of unforseen things have come up in recent months, which have meant I couldn’t rotate as much as I might have liked.”
In terms of your relationship with the fans, do you fear the outcome of the inquest from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office?
“I’m calm. I’ve clarified it via the right channels and said everything that I wanted to in a calm manner.”
Inter Captain Lautaro Martínez preparing for the match against AS Monaco.
