Antonio Conte called Romelu Lukaku a “gentle giant” and set Inter’s Scudetto ambitions going after a 4-0 win over Lecce. “We mustn’t be a spark, we have to become dynamite.”
Marcelo Brozovic, Stefano Sensi, Lukaku and Antonio Candreva scored in the dominant opening Serie A match at San Siro.
Antonio Conte called Romelu Lukaku a “gentle giant” and set Inter’s Scudetto ambitions going after a 4-0 win over Lecce. “We mustn’t be a spark, we have to become dynamite.”
Marcelo Brozovic, Stefano Sensi, Lukaku and Antonio Candreva scored in the dominant opening Serie A match at San Siro.
“We started with the right intensity and respected the idea of football that I wanted. However, I did not appreciate at all the minutes after we went 2-0 up and I told the lads that. I wanted us to immediately get back on it and not be distracted or think it was over,” the Coach told DAZN.
“Having said that, yes, it was a good performance and you can see the ideas there. It’s an excellent result, because Lecce are a good team and there is always the risk of stumbling in these fixtures. We didn’t want that risk for us or our fans.
“We have some more steps to take, such as improving the mental consistency and focus, but I am very satisfied and it is a pleasure to work with these lads.
“Sensi and Brozovic are very versatile players who have a lot of quality on the ball. They would struggle in a two-man midfield, but with three they do very well. The same goes for Nicolò Barella and Roberto Gagliardini, as we have players that allow us to change line-up without losing the shape or idea of the team.
“This version of 3-5-2 is certainly a more attacking evolution of the old 4-2-4. I think that I have the men suited to this type of system and midfielders ready to push forward.”
Lukaku made the ideal debut after his hard-fought move from Manchester United, as he found the back of the net and played 90 minutes.
“Lukaku stepped into the Inter world in the best possible way, with great humility. He is a gentle giant, always has a smile on his face. He’s ready to work for the team and at the disposal of his teammates.
“I also want to highlight that Lautaro Martinez also played very well and everyone deserves praise today. It was only the first game, so we can celebrate until midnight, but from 00.01 we have to start thinking about the next match with Cagliari.”
Conte was asked if this game can be the spark that starts Inter’s season on right track.
“We mustn’t be a spark, we have to become dynamite. So let’s fire it up, keep going and working harder than ever.”