Inter Milan Coach Not Hiding Champions League Ambitions: ‘We Hope We Can Go All The Way’ | OneFootball

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi is not hiding his team’s ambitions to make a deep run or even win the Champions League this season.

The Nerazzurri coach spoke in a press conference ahead of tomorrow’s match against RB Leipzig, as reported by FCInterNews. He also updated on the fitness of Davide Frattesi and his selection dilemmas for tomorrow.

Inter are currently doing exceptionally well in the Champions League.

The Nerazzurri followed up an opening day draw away to Manchester City with victories against the likes of Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys, and Arsenal.

This is only living up to expectations, though.

Inter have been widely considered to be among a small number of clubs with a real chance of winning the Champions League since their run to the final in the 2022-23 season.

The Nerazzurri went out at the round of sixteen to Atletico Madrid last season. And this had the sting of a real disappointment.

Inter will undoubtedly be expecting to go further than that this time around.

Inter Coach Inzaghi Not Hiding Champions League Ambitions: “We Hope To Go All The Way”

Asked if he wants to see Inter go all the way this season, Inzaghi replied “That’s what we hope.”

“We know that the other teams also had the same desire,” he then said.

“We’ve played four matches at our best,” Inzaghi said of Inter’s Champions League campaign so far. “But there are another four to go where we need to take more points.

“We’ll be up against two of the two best teams in Germany, who have been doing well for a few years,” the Nerazzurri coach went on.

“And then we have a couple more in January.”

“We have to keep going on the path we’ve been on, focusing on Leipzig without being distracted by the league.”

Inzaghi said that his team must continue to grow by “working harder and harder.”

“Particularly now that we’re in this positive moment of form.”

“We always try and look at what we could do better,” Inzaghi continued. “Even on Saturday when we scored five goals in a half in Verona, we had some carelessness that could have cost us.”

“We have to try and improve ourselves every day. Because it’s a new title race and a new Champions League with new dangers.”

And Inzaghi also gave his thoughts on Inter’s opponent for tomorrow Leipzig.

“They’ve been in the Champions League for six years,” the Nerazzurri coach said. “They’ve reached a semifinal, and up until Saturday they had the second best defense in the Bundesliga.”

“In the Bundesliga, they deserve to be better off,” Inzaghi argued. Leipzig are one of just six teams who have lost all four of their matches so far in the Champions League “league phase.”

“They’re a team with a very recognizable style of play. I faced their coach when he was in charge of Salzburg.”

“They were second in their league table for thirteen matches and now they’re third,” Inzaghi made clear that he expects a tough match against Leipzig.

Updates On Frattesi Fitness & Decisions In Defense

Meanwhile, Inter coach Inzaghi also updated on the fitness of midfielder Davide Frattesi.

“Frattesi’s been suffering an ankle problem since prior to the international break,” the coach said.

“He came back and played in Verona.”

“He had a bit of an issue with his ankle today,” Inzaghi noted of Frattesi. “Today he wasn’t feeling quite right.”

“We hope we don’t lose him for tomorrow, because he’s important for us. We’re hoping he recovers quickly.”

Meanwhile, Inzaghi said that “Calhanoglu and Lautaro were absent in Verona, but they had two good training sessions yesterday and today.”

Lastly, Inzaghi confirmed that “Acerbi got a contracture to his thigh muscles.”

“He had tests today, and they confirmed that there’s no serious injury.”

“We’ll see if we can get him back for Sunday [against Fiorentina],” Inzaghi said of Acerbi. “But he’ll be out for less time than last time.”

Inzaghi then said that defender Yann Bisseck “deserves the playing time he’s had for his work.”

The coach noted, “He came here from a different league. He did well to understand what we’ve asked from him right away.”

“He immediately worked to try and understand Italian, and speak it well,” Inzaghi said of Bisseck. “To understand what we want.”

“He’s constantly improving and I’m happy for him.”

As far as the left side of the defense tomorrow against Leipzig, Inzaghi noted that “Bisseck can play there.”

“I think Bastoni could get a rest tomorrow. But I haven’t decided yet.”

“I’d also like to see Bisseck play at the centre of the back three,” Inzaghi noted. “But if Acerbi and de Vrij were out I’d be more inclined towards Bastoni.”

“Because we’ve already seen him play there, including for the national team.”

And Inzaghi said that he’s “very happy” with what Mehdi Taremi has added to the Inter squad.

“He knew that he’d have competition for playing time here,” the Inter coach noted of the Iranian international.

“He had a bit of an injury problem after the preseason, and that slowed him down.”

“But he’s a great professional,” Inzaghi praised Taremi. “He gets along well with his teammates and I have great faith in him.”