Milan: Inter Milan’s tired players will need to produce a top performance to beat Sassuolo, but they should not be concerned by back-to-back draws, coach Simone Inzaghi said on Friday.
The Italian champions were held 2-2 at home to Atalanta in Serie A last weekend, before drawing 0-0 with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“It will not be a simple game, it is our seventh match in 20 days, so there is a bit of physical and mental fatigue,” Inzaghi told a news conference.
“They play very good football and have excellent individual quality. We will need the best Inter to get a result.”
The back-to-back draws left Inzaghi’s side playing catch-up at home and abroad.
They are five points behind surprise Group D leaders Sheriff Tiraspol in Europe, and four points adrift of league leaders Napoli ahead of Saturday’s trip to 12th-placed Sassuolo.
“We are in a good place, but we can still improve. We are missing two points from the games against Sampdoria and Atalanta, which we would have deserved, but I am happy,” Inzaghi said.
“There is a little regret about the Champions League. With all those clear chances, I would have wanted to get more than one point.”
Inter posted an alarming 246 million euro ($285 million) loss for the 2020-21 financial year on Thursday, but Inzaghi sought to reassure any worries about the club’s economic situation.
“Our objective was to stabilise the club and we managed that. Next year everything will be much better,” he said.
“The club was very good at transmitting calmness and regularly paying wages, so there is faith in the future.” — Reuters
