A fantastic team win full of character for Antonio Conte’s Inter side, their first in Group F following the draw against Slavia Prague and the unlucky defeat at Camp Nou. The Nerazzurri boss had the following to say after the match:
“It’s a vital win. It was a very tactical affair. Borussia Dortmund changed their playing system because they were afraid of our attacking play, they switched to a five-man defense and tried to mirror us. We did well to change the way we played and build on our lead when they went back to a 4-2-3-1. I’m happy because the team showed excellent maturity and managed the moments in the game well.”
“Our situation wasn’t an easy one. We had a few injuries and the risk was we’d pay for this. Instead, we put in an excellent performance. I’m really happy for my players because these nights are the reward for the sacrifices made. Last year, the boys worked a lot with Luciano Spalletti to qualify for the Champions League and it’s only right that we try to continue this journey. We know that we’re not one of the favorites but we want to be involved for as long as we can. We’re very much alive. We now have less than three days to recuperate ahead of our match against Parma, who are on an excellent run. Unfortunately, we can’t enjoy this result too much, we’re back on the pitch at 18:00 on Saturday.”
The coach also spoke about Sebastiano Esposito, who came on to make his Champions League debut at the age of just 17 and also won a penalty for the Nerazzurri:
“I’ve said it on more than one occasion, he’s only 17 years old but I have full confidence in him. I’m sorry about the fact that he won’t be involved in the Under-17 World Cup, but he’s for all intents and purposes a first-team player for us. He needs to continue to go down the path he’s on and fly low in doing so.”
