Live TMW
He’s the great ex Hakan Calhanoglu the player chosen byInter to support Simone Inzaghi in the press conference on the eve of the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen. Live text by TMW.
18.56 – The press conference will begin at 7.15pm with a 15 minute delay on the scheduled time.
19.28 – The press conference begins.
What does it feel like to return to Leverkusen?
“After seven years I’m back for the first time, I’m happy because I see my former teammates and the people who worked here, I can’t wait to see them tomorrow. There are many emotions that I’ve experienced here in Leverkusen in the three years I’ve lived here , then my journey in Italy wasn’t easy but I’m happy with the progress I’ve made and I feel happy, I’m continuing to improve.”
You are the Champions League player who recovers the most balls, how did you become this type of player?
“I thank the coach and the technical staff, they saw me in that role and I did everything I could to find this path. I’m still growing, with a lot of analysis we do. I feel good, I have teammates who play at a high level: with important players who have quality are always easier to play, in midfield we get along well with each other, regardless of who plays. Now we are together with the coach, we have been together for three years and I have improved.”
Xabi Alonso said that you are as important to Inter as Kimmich is to Bayern, is this a comparison that pleases you?
“When a coach says that it’s a compliment, I can only thank him. But I only look at myself, not at others, I’m playing with an important club, I want to always represent it in the best way.”
What is the difference of a coach like Simone Inzaghi, even on a human level?
“At Leverkusen I played as an attacking midfielder, sometimes as a winger, with age I went backwards… Jokes aside, I can only thank the coach and his technical staff, they have worked so hard to develop themselves. Thank you to them I became the player I am.”
Have you or Bayer Leverkusen changed more?
“I have grown a lot, even on a personal level: when you become a father you learn many things, you are more attentive and you have a sense of responsibility towards your family. I have also improved a lot as a player, then with the intelligence I have it is easier to understand the requests of the coach”.
Does Napoli’s defeat lighten the asterisk in the standings?
“Nothing has changed for us, our goal is always to bring Inter to the top and we only look at ourselves. We still have a match against Fiorentina left, we continue to work and believe in what we have always believed in.”