Handanovic: “We’re determined and focused on tomorrow”

APPIANO GENTILE - SamirHandanovic was on pre-match media duty on Tuesday ahead of Inter’s UEFA Champions League 2021/22 Group D opener against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Are you worried by the form of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr? What do you make of Real Madrid’s attack?

“I’ve seen virtually all of Real Madrid’s games this year. They’re in great form – they score almost every time they have the ball and their attacking trio is in good form. It’s up to us to contain them and stop them. They’re players that we faced last year, so we know them.”

You’re one of the longest-serving players at Inter. The team hasn’t got to the Round of 16 in a few years – will that weigh heavy or is that in the past?

“I think it should give us extra motivation. We have more experience, more belief and more determination now. Our aim is to get through to the next round – we’ve not managed that in previous years, which means that other teams were better than us or that we weren’t good enough. That’s in the past, though, and we need to focus on tomorrow’s game because it’s the start of the Champions League.”