Luis Figo hails Romelu Lukaku’s impressive debut season with Inter

Former Inter Milan star Luis Figo has heaped praise on striker Romelu Lukaku, who has been the leading goalscorer for the Nerazzurri this term. The Belgium international made the move to the Nerazzurri from Manchester United last summer and he has since proved a quality purchase, having already contributed 21 goals and five assists in all competitions.


In an interview covered by Goal.com, Figo said that Lukaku has had a fantastic season with the San Siro giants and believes the markman could aid the Nerazzurri’s chances of winning the Scudetto, he told: “He has been fantastic this year. He is happy, and I think you notice it. He scores a lot, it helps if the team is solid and believe in their chances of winning the Scudetto. There are many differences between Serie A and the Premier League, but he doesn’t surprise me. When you have a sense of goal like that, you will always score, even if you play in China.”
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Inter Milan defender determined to prove his worth to the Netherlands

Inter Milan centre-back Stefan de Vrij has said that he has transformed into a better defender than he was at the 2014 World Cup, where the Netherlands progressed until the semi-final stage. The 27-year-old has dropped down the selection order for the national team over the past year and he is currently behind Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs de Ligt for a central defensive role.


Speaking to reporters, De Vrij stressed that he has evolved since the country’s participation at the 2014 World Cup and he must remain positive to pounce on any opportunities with the national side, he told: “I feel that I am a better defender than at the 2014 World Cup when I was a starter. I must remain positive, always do my best and wait for my chance to impress.”
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Antonio Conte comments on Inter Milan’s Scudetto prospects

 

Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte has happened to dismiss the club’s title prospects by stating that both Juventus and Napoli are better than them. The Nerazzurri started the season on a strong note with six victories on the bounce but their winning streak was halted with a defeat to Juventus before the international break.


In an interview covered by Tuttosport, Conte said that the Nerazzurri fans need to be realistic over the ambitions and both Juventus and Napoli are better equipped to compete for the title, he told: “I think believing costs nothing for Inter fans, Napoli and other teams. Then you have to be objective and to look at reality.
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INTER MILAN VS BARCELONA: REVIEW

Inter Milan face Barcelona in the Champions League in what promises to be a classic between two of Europe’s biggest giants. The Catalan giants will be entering the match as the favorites despite their unconvincing draw in the opening game away to Dortmund.

Inter Milan have looked rejuvenated this season under manager Antonio Conte who has been able to revive the fortunes of the Italian club. They have been perfect in the Serie A run as they look to end Juventus’ dominance.

However facing Barcelona at the Nou Camp is a different battle to that of the Serie A. The last time that Inter Milan had any meaning full impact in the Champions League they were able to bank on a strong defence,

The likes of Christian Chivu, Walter Samuel, Lucio, and Javier Zanetti were the bedrock for the treble-winning team. Antonio Conte has a similar defence with Diego Godin, Milan Skriniar and De Vrij excellent players alongside the experienced KwadwoAsamoah.
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Sanchez says Lukaku convinced him to join Inter

Chile international Alexis Sanchez has said that Romelu Lukaku played a role in convincing him to join Inter Milan during the summer transfer window. The marksman had endured a frustrating 19-month spell with Manchester United and that contributed towards the move to the Nerazzurri on a season-long loan.

Speaking to Sky Italy, Sanchez said that he is happy to make the return to the Serie A and will seek to end the Nerazzurri’s eight-year wait for the league title. He added that former United teammate Lukaku influenced his decision to join the San Siro giants, he told: “I am happy to return to Italian football, then we will see. I want to do only the best for me, for the team and for the Inter fans.
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Luciano Spalletti backs Inter Milan to seal Champions League spot

Inter Milan manager Luciano Spalletti has admitted that the players are disappointed after the Europa League exit but they must regroup and concentrate on the top four race in the Serie A. The Nerazzurri suffered a surprise 1-0 aggregate defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt during the round of 16 stage of the Europa League and this ended the club’s prospects of qualifying for the Champions League by winning the competition.

Speaking to reporters, Spalletti acknowledged that there was plenty of sorrow following the unexpected defeat to Frankfurt, where Luka Jovic’s sole goal at the San Siro made the difference. He added that the team must dust off the disappointment and concentrate on the finishing as high as possible in the Serie A.
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Inter Milan Keen to End Contract Stand-Off with Mauro Icardi

Inter Milan were able to get a crucial win over Sampdoria despite not having Mauro Icardi in the line-up. The striker was watching from the stands, as Inter were able to claim a late victory in a thrilling match on Sunday. Danilo D’Ambrosio and Radja Nainggolan came up with the goals for Inter in a very thrilling encounter but it could have been very different had it not been for the latter’s late winner, as Manolo Gabbiadini had come up with an equaliser for Sampdoria. The victory moved Inter Milan to a strong position of a four-point advantage over rivals AC Milan – even if they remain in the third place.

Ahead of the match, the headlines were created by Mauro Icardi, whose captaincy was taken away due to a lack of agreement over contract issues. The striker has also pulled out of the squad that will take on rapid Vienna in the Europa League. He had been withdrawn from the match against Sampdoria citing a knee injury. The player had been linked with a move away from Inter even as early as in January especially with Chelsea interested in his services. However, serious interest did not materialise. Manager Luciano Spalletti said that the talks are ongoing in order to get Icardi back into the team by doing away with the contract stand-off.

“I really appreciated that Icardi came to the stadium but I would have appreciated it even more if he had come into the dressing room afterward to celebrate with his teammates. To get back to normal there are more steps to be made, more efforts. Icardi has to experience with the team the happiness of being part of this group,” said Spalletti after the match. Mauro Icardi has been in decent form this season and the 25-year-old has been able to come up with nine goals in 18 starts in the league.

CRISTIAN CHIVU WINS FIRST TROPHY

Former Romanian international Cristian Chivu has gotten his managerial career off to a perfect start, claiming a major trophy in his maiden season as head coach.

The former defender led Inter Milan’s U-14 youth team to the Memorial Graziano Peretti trophy and the manager looked really delighted at his recent success.

Chivu has always had a knack for developing young players, which was very clear for all to see during his playing days at the Nerazzurri and he is really excited at leading “such a wonderful young team” to their first trophy success.

On the 29th of August, the tournament got underway, with Inter Milan competing for the highly coveted trophy with other European counterparts.

The Nerazzurri made it all the way to the final of the tournament, facing off rivals Torino, with Inter Milan scoring the only goal in what was a tightly contested affair in Turin.

En route to the final, Cristian Chivu’s team defeated a host of top teams including Venezia, Atalanta and FC Barcelona. They suffered only a single defeat throughout the course of the tournament, coming in the last group stage match against Cittadella.

The loss at Cittadella had no effect on the team, as they had already secured their passage to the knockout phases prior to kickoff.

Having secured his first trophy as head coach, Cristian Chivu took to Instagram to celebrate his latest success.

The manager posted a photo of him holding the Memorial Graziano Peretti trophy on his official Instagram account, with the caption, “My new life, my team, our first trophy”.

The caption shows that Chivu is not ready to sit on his recent trophy success and will be gunning for more accolades in the future. Let’s all wish Cristian Chivu all the best in his coaching career and see where his new journey will eventually lead him to.

Chivu believes in Jose Mourinho

Former Inter Milan defender Cristian Chivu believes that Jose Mourinho is the right manager for Manchester United. He said that he has worked under the Portuguese manager while he was at Inter Milan and that he is one of best manager he has worked with.

He said that there is no reason why he cannot change Manchester United fortunes and he is sure that he is the right man for the job.

Cristian Chivu believes that there are some other problems that are plaguing the team and it is not solely the manager’s fault. He said that he has been following the team for quite some time and he knows that the manager was not given the financial backing that he wanted during the transfer window.

Indeed Jose Mourinho submitted a list of players to the Manchester United board and he fails to secure any of the defenders on the list. The Portuguese manager knew that he had some problem at the back and wanted to address those issues by signing some players but he was not given the money required to achieve that.

Cristian Chivu said that Jose Mourinho is a really good manager and he is really good when it comes to tactics. He believes that Manchester United should invest in some new players and make sure that Mourinho is given the players he wants in order to compete for the title.

Cristian Chivu said that there are already some good players at Manchester United but he feels that it is at the back that they are currently weak. He believes that Mourinho is the right man for the job and he could be the person that bring back the glory days at Manchester United. He wants fans to remain behind the manager and gives him the support he needs.

Luciano Spalletti insists PSV game is the most important of his Inter managerial career

Inter Milan manager Luciano Spalletti hassaid that the upcoming Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven remains the most important once since he took over the reins at the Nerazzurri. The Italian tactician guided the club to the Champions League after six years during his debut campaign last term and he is now looking to helping them progress to the round of 16.

Speaking to reporters, he said:“This match is the most important one since I’ve been here and it represents the next step that follows on from Lazio vs. Inter on 20 May. Since I’ve been here, we’ve got the points and put in the performances that we needed. We’re all aware of the importance of this game, the players are working really well. We know that qualification won’t just depend on our result but I’d imagine that those at Barcelona would be offended if we continue to doubt their professionalism.They’re a serious club with real professionals, we can’t look at their game.”

Inter face a must-win match against PSV Eindhoven at the San Siro on Tuesday but that does not completely guarantee them progress to the knockouts. Tottenham Hotspur are currently ahead of the Nerazzurri in the second spot with the better head-to-head record and Spalletti’s side require a favour from Barcelona if they are to have any chance of qualifying beyond the group stage.

Nonetheless, they should first look to secure the three points against PSV and that won’t be easy, given they have recently gone through a rough phase with three winless matches across all competitions. Inter returned from the previous international break with a comfortable 3-0 win over Serie A minnows Frosinone but they have since struggled with just one draw from the games against Tottenham Hotspur, AS Roma,and Inter Milan.