Inter Milan assistant coach Massimiliano Farris has hit back at the suggestion of Stefano Pioli that the Nerazzurri have underachieved with their squad.
The Nerazzurri assistant coach addressed some recent comments by AC Milan coach Pioli in a press conference after his team’s Serie A win over Torino, as reported by FCInterNews.
A couple of days ago, Milan coach Pioli aimed a remark at the Rossoneri’s city rivals.
Responding to accusations that he has underachieved with Milan, Pioli not-so-subtly hinted that if that is true, then the same is the case with the Nerazzurri.
Pioli argued that for the past four years, Inter have had the strongest squad in Serie A.
Therefore, the Milan coach suggested, it should also be considered an underachievement that this is only the Nerazzurri’s second league title during the period.
Last season it was Napoli who clinched the title, with Inter far off in the distance in third.
And the campaign prior to that, the Nerazzurri finished two points behind Pioli’s Milan team.
Inter Assistant Coach Farris Hits Back At AC Milan Coach Pioli
Regarding Pioli’s remarks, Farris simply pointed out that “We’ve won several trophies.”
Inter have won the Coppa Italia twice and the Supercoppa Italiana on three occasions in addition to this season’s title under Simone Inzaghi.
“Stefano is a friend,” Inter assistant coach Farris added. “We played together.”
“But for me, there’s only Inter now.”
Asked if the lack of much squad rotation against Torino was to mitigate the Granata’s intense high-pressing approach, Farris replied “Absolutely, yes.”
“Maybe it would have been right to give playing time to some of the players who hadn’t played as much this season.”
“That’s perhaps what the fans were expecting,” the assistant coach noted.
“But Torino played a very serious match,” he continued.
“And we wanted to go out there and prove that we are a serious group.”
As far as the tactical evolution of midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, Farris said that “Calha is a total player.”
“He could have been a worthwhile solution in deep midfield right away,” the assistant coach continued.
“But at the time we already had a starter in the position,” he said. Marcelo Brozovic had been Inter’s clear first-choice regista when Calhanoglu arrived.
“But he put himself totally at our disposal, learning things he didn’t know about playing the position.”
“Calha has learned to become a screen in front of the defense. The number of balls he intercepts is a testament to that.”
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