Mkhitaryan: "Here to make our fans happy"

Henrikh Mkhitaryan was the player who accompanied Simone Inzaghi during today's press conference ahead of Friday's Supercoppa Italiana semi-final showdown between Inter and Lazio in Riyadh. From the press room at Al-Awwal Park, the Nerazzurri midfielder responded to journalists' questions.

You've won 22 trophies and have a lot of experience. A four-team tournament now awaits; what does this trophy represent? "It's the first time I've been involved in a competition like this. It's interesting, and we're here to do our best. We want to play in the final. I've got my hands on 22 trophies, but I still want to win more; this is what counts at the end of your career. We'll carry on going down our path and want to make everyone happy. Winning is always nice."

Is it a bit frustrating that you'll have to make up a game in the league? Could this make things harder for you in Serie A? "The most important thing right now is to beat Lazio and then win the final. Having to make up a game won't be easy, but we'll have to make a virtue out of necessity."

Can you tell us something about Buchanan? "He needs time to learn the language, discover the culture, and get to know his teammates and our playing system better. He has some great qualities; we've seen this in training. He's fast and really good; he'll be of great help."

Is there a risk of a drop-off after this competition? "We haven't won this trophy yet. We'll focus on the league later; it's pointless to think about it now."

You'll be taking to the pitch in Saudi Arabia, where football is growing at a rapid pace. "What is happening here is incredible. World-class footballers are now playing here, which is obviously a big boost for football. There are a lot of things that need to be improved, but I think we'll see the results of this investment in five years."

Matches against Lazio are always difficult. "That's true. It's never easy against Lazio, who play good football. We struggled at the start of our match against them this season, and we'll have to be really focused. It's a semi-final, and we'll need to give our all."