UCL, Darmian: "Ready to give everything"

APPIANO GENTILE - It's the day before the big one as Inter are preparing to take on Benfica in the second leg of their Champions League final. Matteo Darmian attended the press conference alongside Simone Inzaghi and responded to questions from journalists:

You have three games to play until a possible Champions League final; is there the desire and hunger in the camp to finish the month in the way you've performed in the cups? "We definitely want to finish the month on high because there's a lot to play for from tomorrow evening onwards. We know it'll be tough but we're just focusing on tomorrow:" What has been the key moment for Inter in the Champions League this season? "I'm not sure. We've done well in the Champions League this season and we want to keep going. If I had to choose just one, it would be the first game against Barcelona." How do you explain the difference in your form in the league and the Champions League? "We're certainly not at our best in the league right now. We aren't managing to open up or kill off games and we seem to always be conceding from the few chances that we do allow. Points aren't coming right now when we might have expected or deserved them, but we want to turn it around. Tomorrow though, we have a Champions League game and that is our only focus." Do you have a message from the team to the fans? "There's not a lot to say to the fans really. They've given us immense support all season. I'm sure they will again tomorrow night. We want to make them happy." You've been to the World Cup, you've played in the quarters of the Euros and you won titles at Manchester United, but this might be your most significant moment in European football: at 33 years of age, is there a secret to your performance? "There's no secret. I just work hard and want to improve day after day. I always try to bring what we work on in training into games." There's been a lot of talk of contact issues: do you think this could influence who plays at this point of the season? "Having known the boys for a few years, I don't think they'll be thinking about these things. They're all calm and will try to give their all for Inter. The respective situations will be looked at later." Have you discussed this maybe being a one-time chance? "We know how important tomorrow's game is. We want to play well. It will all depend on our attitude and approach; we want to play well and go through." As a player, how important is it to rest during such a busy period? "We try to recover from each game as best possible. It's not easy to play every three days but we're professionals; we always need to give it our well when called upon." Do you think that Calhanoglu is back to full fitness? "He looks good but it's not up to me to make those decisions. He's a big player for us, as he's shown this season and before." Should you come fourth in the league, would this group deserve something extra? "At this point of the season, I'd definitely say that coming fourth is our aim but I don't think we'd need an extra prize or something. We know the importance of finishing fourth and getting Champions League football for next season; we'll do everything to achieve this." What story could Inter write this season? "I don't know. First, we need to make it through and then maybe I'll tell you the title."