Inzaghi: "We will need to play with personality and character"

APPIANO GENTILE - After the victory over Spezia, Inter are now return to the pitch: on Friday 26 August at 20:45 CEST, the Nerazzurri face Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for the matchday 3 of Serie A.

On the eve of the match Simone Inzaghi answers journalists' questions in a press conference:

The first big match of the season on matchday three, against a much-changed Lazio. What type of game match are you expecting? "We know we are facing a strong team. This year Lazio has improved and managed to keep all its most important players. They are a well-prepared, organised team with an important squad, plus we will play in a full stadium. We will have to play a match with personality and character. We will have to be very careful."

Immobile has said that he enjoys playing against Inter. "I feel great affection for Ciro, he has had many successful seasons. It will be a special match for everyone, which we care about. I wish for him to keep on scoring, but I hope he can take a day off tomorrow."

Any news on Skriniar? "Skriniar is fine, he is always focused and attentive. At the beginning of the preparation he struggled because he came from an injury he sustained on international duty, something new for him. He had to take it easy for 40-45 days, but he is fully fit now. He is developing like the rest of the squad."

How long will it take to see the best of Lukaku? "Romelu played his best in the first two games. This applies to the whole team: the general condition is improving every day, but we have a lot of physical players and we knew we would need a couple of big games. We started quite well and we want to continue trying to improve further. All the players will be very important because there will be 19 games in a row with just one break: we'll need everyone available. Tomorrow we'll have everyone available except Mkhitaryan."

It promises to be a season championship: how important are these big games? "The big games will be important, last year when the points were equal they would have been decisive. However, we have already seen in these two matches how in Italy no match is a foregone conclusion: we know the importance of every game, even with the so-called smaller teams."

Could the match against Lazio be an opportunity for Gagliardini? “He can be an option: Gagliardini made a very good start last week. He started late because of an injury he sustained last season, but it is a ballot in my head like many others. From tomorrow, we will start a tour de force until the first break. I have many doubts but it’s a blessing in disguise: I have important players that, on a daily basis, put me in a difficult position when it comes to selection”.

Have you thought about organising a scientific turnover? Will you research formation changes according to the opposition you are facing? "I don't like scientific turnover, but I know that you have to change and last year we did. Now we're at the beginning, the team is well and has a lot of resources: from time to time I'll choose the formation, changing three or four elements depending on the match".

How do you feel about facing a coach like Sarri? “Those games against Sarri are always difficult. He is a calculated coach, who gives a precise game-plan to his players. But we have seen that every match has its own story: if we cast our minds back to last year, both games went very differently”. 

What kind of player is Asllani? Could he even be used as a Mezzala? “Asllani is playing really well. There are high expectations of him, but I have been impressed so far. He was brought in to help Brozovic, but at the moment we don’t have Mkhitaryan and it may happen that he is used as a Mezzala. Personally, however, I think he is more suitable as a playmaker in front of the back line.”

Dimarco is an important player also for his flexibility: could he also play as a mezzala, considering his impressive technique? “Dimarco is a modern player with quality technique and movement. He is carving out an important space for himself because he has deserved it. I see him more in the five position in midfield or the three role in defence: we will evaluate him from game to game. He can play both roles very well, like Darmian. From time to time I put him where he can be most useful for the team”.