Inter Coach Antonio Conte: “Alexis Sanchez Will Start Against Roma” | OneFootball

Inter coach Antonio Conte praised his players for maintaining their motivation in the 5-1 thrashing of Sampdoria today, despite already winning the Scudetto, and revealed that Alexis Sanchez will start against Roma.

The Nerazzurri went into the match already crowned as champions following Atalanta’s failure to beat Sassuolo last week, but blew the Blucerchiati away with a comprehensive victory.

Speaking in his post match press conference at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, as reported by FCInterNews.it, Conte was impressed with the professionalism of his team and expressed his delight at their achievement in ending Juventus’ nine years of dominance.

“This is a special group, 110%. When you have this type of season, winning the Scudetto with four games to go, knowing that in the league there has been an absolute dominant team for nine years means that there is something special,” the coach declared.

“This is a special group with exceptional guys, who cherished this dream and then made it come true. I showed them the way but they achieved something beautiful, with everyone who worked with us in these two years. Seeing the fans today or last Sunday celebrate in this way is a wonderful thing.

“The lads know that the motivation for us is victory because it must absolutely enter the brain of all footballers, it must become an obsession. Only in this way do you try to become better and better, we must win everything.

“Today it was not easy and we were facing a team in excellent shape with a very good coach, we came from a party and three days of training. But the lads gave a strong response, in this I am grateful because obviously everything we worked on remained.”

The coach also confirmed that Sanchez would start in Wednesday’s league visit of Roma after the Chilean hit a first half brace to set Inter on course for victory today.

“Alexis, and I’ve been saying this for a while, is putting me in big trouble because he has been challenging for a while. He was instrumental in this second half of the season, because even when he entered a game from the bench he always contributed.

“I hope he has nothing particular because his adductor was a bit sore and I replaced him, as we agreed, to preserve him because I want to play him against Roma. I’m happy for him as I am for [Matias] Vecino, [Stefano] Sensi, [Danilo] D’Ambrosio, [Ashley] Young. All those players who put their ego to one side for us. I will never stop thanking them.”

Conte also insisted that he would savour the moment and urged his team to enjoy their Scudetto celebrations, feeling that he hadn’t appreciated such an achievement in previous roles with Juventus and Chelsea.

“We have to enjoy it and believe me, I am doing so. The experience of these past years leads me to say to enjoy it. In the past I did not have the calmness necessary to do so, to enjoy everything I had obtained after working with suffering and determination.

“Every day that passes I am enjoying it to the full because I know we have done something special and seeing the fans celebrate like this is a confirmation of that,” Conte added.