Inter Midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu: “Improved Thanks To Simone Inzaghi, We Have To Convert Chances Against Liverpool” | OneFootball

Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is prepared for a round of sixteen tie against Liverpool in which he and his teammates will have to be clinical with their best opportunities.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of the Champions League tie, as reported by FCInterNews, the 27-year-old emphasized the importance of not being wasteful in front of goal and also praised the impact that coach Simone Inzaghi has had on him.

The Nerazzurri have suffered some of their most disappointing and damaging results this season in matches where they have created chances to get something more but have either missed them or seen them saved.

This has especially been a problem in Europe, where in their two marquee clashes with Real Madrid in the group stage they lost on both occasions despite encouraging play and a number of chances which they couldn’t score from.

Calhanoglu looked back on those frustrating results, stating that “We really played well in both games. We lacked  something in front of goal, tomorrow we will have to score with the two or three opportunities we get.”

He went on that “It will be a very intense match.”

On what the secret has been to his good form this season, Calhanoglu named “My heart. There’s a tremendous winning mentality at Inter, and I came here to show my own.”

“They’ve given me a lot of help,” he continued, “I play in a role that I really enjoy under this coach – I get on the ball more. After that, it all depends on me, on my quality, and on my teammates.”

“Something has changed on a technical and tactical level,” he added of his upturn in form this season. “I improved thanks to the coach and staff as well.”

On his former club AC Milan, the Turk stated that “I still have a lot of friends there, though I don’t think they will cheer for us. But I don’t care, we just focus on ourselves. We have to prepare as best we can for tomorrow’s match.”

“In six months here I’ve won a trophy,” the midfielder said, referring to the Supercoppa Italiana, “I’m very happy with that because I hadn’t yet done so.”

“I lost in the Coppa Italia final before [with AC Milan], I want to win it this time,” he continued. “The Champions League is a dream, we have to stay united and play our game so that we can do well.”

He added that “I’ve already lost the Champions League round of sixteen, against Atletico Madrid [with Bayer Leverkusen], all of us as players want to go through.”

Of the Reds’ midfield strength, he predicted that “They’ve very dynamic, we’re aware, but tomorrow we will go out on the pitch and show our character.”

“I’m ready,” he closed, “we’ll be confronted by the kind of team who will make us understand how good we really are.”