Bastoni: Juventus ‘not an obsession’ for Inter, no advantage over Spalletti

Alessandro Bastoni says Inter must not be obsessed with beating Juventus, but doesn’t feel the Nerazzurri have an advantage over Luciano Spalletti: ‘He knows us.’

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Inter host Juventus in the big game of Serie A Round 25 tomorrow, Saturday, February 14.

The Nerazzurri have not beaten Juventus, Milan or Napoli in any of their last 14 meetings, but Bastoni insists he and his teammates should not feel extra pressure because of that.

Bastoni: We know what Inter-Juventus means

“Surely we think the moment has come, but it must not be an obsession, or it will become counter-productive,” the Inter defender told Sky Sport Italia.

“We must remember that it’s just a game, so we must remain calm, as it was just another game, trying to add something more to win against a direct rival.

“We’ve had a week to prepare, so we get here well under all aspects,” Bastoni continued.

“That said, we know what Inter-Juventus means for the world of football. I repeat, it must not be an obsession, and we’ll have to remain focused for the entire game.”

Many Inter players, including Bastoni, Nicolò Barella, Federico Dimarco and Davide Frattesi, were regular Italy starters when Spalletti was in charge of La Nazionale. Does this mean they’ll be able to predict how he’ll prepare for the match?

“He coached us, so perhaps it’s an advantage for him as well because he knows our characteristics,” Bastoni replied.

“He surely has quality and will do anything to cause trouble for us. But we play at home, in front of our fans, and we want to put in a great performance.”

Kenan Yildiz is probably the best Juventus player currently, so what are the Nerazzurri preparing to nullify him?

“Surely, Yildiz is a very strong player, but Juventus are not just Yildiz. We’ve seen how vital McKennie is for this team,” Bastoni argued.

“Also, the balance provided by Locatelli and their defence. They have many players who know how to do things well.”

Inter are the Serie A table leaders and are still running for three titles, having qualified for the Champions League knockout play-off and the Coppa Italia semis.

“Surely, we’ve found a balance. Maybe, sometimes we are not pretty, but more efficient,” Bastoni concluded.

“This is something the coach has been working a lot on. Some things have been favourable compared to the first part of the season, and the confidence is building. These things have brought Inter to be who we are today.”