Antonio Conte expects a ‘tough game’ with Cagliari, but warns Inter fans not to embrace negativity and ‘make it easy for those who hate Inter and want to destroy us.’
It kicks off on Sunday at 11.30 GMT, click here for a match preview.
The season has inevitably been transformed by this week’s results, as not only are Inter out of the Champions League, they haven’t even got a place in the Europa League.
Antonio Conte expects a ‘tough game’ with Cagliari, but warns Inter fans not to embrace negativity and ‘make it easy for those who hate Inter and want to destroy us.’
It kicks off on Sunday at 11.30 GMT, click here for a match preview.
The season has inevitably been transformed by this week’s results, as not only are Inter out of the Champions League, they haven’t even got a place in the Europa League.
“I expect a tough game, as is inevitable against Cagliari. We must take the right approach from the kick-off,” said Conte in his press conference.
“The Champions League exit was painful for me and the players. We believed in our chances and had put the situation back on track after it became very difficult with the defeat to Real Madrid.
“It’s disappointing to go out because we were unable to score a goal. Now we have to metabolise it, lift our heads up and keep going.
“The message I want to send to the fans is don’t make it easier for those who are relishing this moment and hope that we’ll self-destruct after all we’ve done over the last year-and-a-half. I see too much negativity.
“Don’t make it easier for those who want to destroy us, because they see we can reap the rewards of this work in future. We must remain united, remembering this process already took us to second place in Serie A, the Europa League Final and the Coppa Italia semi-final.
“We only started it last year, but already regained credibility. We must have faith. I understand the impatience after 10 years of winning nothing, but we must also understand that when you rebuild from the foundations, that is what takes the most time. Once you have the foundations, you can build a skyscraper, the kind Inter fans deserve.
“Please, let us not offer ourselves up to those who are enjoying Inter’s problems, to those who hate Inter and want its destruction. We want what is good for Inter and we want to build.”
Does Conte not feel the duty to win the Scudetto this season, then?
“The club owners were very clear when I started, that this was a growth process, of helping these prospects become top players. The owners were also very clear in August, telling us it would be a difficult financial situation due to COVID and we’d have to slow the process.
“They told us we had to be united, continuing the journey we began a year before. I think the President said that same to you all.”
When asked about Christian Eriksen, Conte again hit out at the media for their focus on the midfielder.
“You see Eriksen during the game, but the job of a coach is to improve everyone. This is what I am doing with Christian and he knows that I work with intellectual honesty, trying to improve every player, whether they are 18 years old or a veteran like Samir Handanovic.
“I am working with Eriksen to improve some of his aspects. It might take a little more time with him before he can get that breakthrough and show his talent.”