Pioli delighted with reaction and result

MILAN – It was a hugely satisfying day at the office for Stefano Pioli, who watched his team orchestrate a well-deserved victory against Empoli this afternoon.

"The lads worked with great focus and determination during the week and the result on the pitch was there for everyone to see,” the Nerazzurri coach said after the 2-0 win at San Siro. "Inter played really well as a team against an opponent who are far from easy. It was important for us to prove that we can pick ourselves up after a false step."

Asked whether third spot is a realistic objective, Pioli preferred not to think too far ahead: "We're trying to keep ourselves constantly motivated and stay on course to achieve our ambitions. Nothing is impossible and we want to give it a go right until the end, winning as many games as possible and giving it our all as we're doing now. That's how we can become a competitive side."

"I'm only thinking about the present and sometimes the future but never the past," he responded to a question about where Inter would be had he been in charge from the start of the season. "I want to build something important for this club and these magnificent fans. We're working on our performances and nothing else, trying to stay focused on the league. It's useless wasting any energy thinking about something else. We'll turn our minds to Bologna starting from tomorrow. We have a chance to show we're a competitive team."

Pioli then spoke a bit about some individuals in his squad.

"Is [Roberto] Gagliardini the leader we've been missing in midfield? He's got all the qualities to become one. Just think about his character and how easily he slotted into a big squad like ours. More importantly, however, is the attitude of the group as a whole.

"As for whether [Rodrigo] Palacio was angry after his substitution, I can only swear by his professionalism. He didn't show a lack of respect to anyone; he just thought he could have done better in some attacking situations. I like to see it when my players have great desire to improve.

"Do Inter depend less on Icardi? Mauro is a fantastic player and I can't wait to have him back again, but we have a lot of top players here."

Finally, Pioli gave his thoughts on rivals AC Milan, who are in action against his former team Lazio on Monday night.

"As for whether I'll be supporting AC Milan, I just support Inter," he concluded. "I'll watch their match against Lazio, but we have to focus purely on ourselves. The team is working well and we can even improve in certain situations."