Inter boss Claudio Ranieri insists the club are on the road to recovery ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game against Lille.
The Nerazzurri have had a problematic start to the season and the 2-1 loss to Juventus” data-scaytid=”4″>Juventus on Saturday was their fifth reverse in nine League games.
Inter boss Claudio Ranieri insists the club are on the road to recovery ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game against Lille.
The Nerazzurri have had a problematic start to the season and the 2-1 loss to Juventus on Saturday was their fifth reverse in nine League games.
"I'm not the Wizard of Oz," Ranieri, who replaced Gian Piero Gasperini in September, noted on Tuesday.
"I expected to meet some difficulties, but I want to hurdle them with the rest of the team. We are on the right path.
"Inter are a great side, even if we are going through a difficult spell. We're optimistic about the future. We are giving our all in an effort to improve things and we can't give up.
"We have to eradicate all negative thoughts. But the squad is mentally strong, I can see that.
"It's clear that the players were disappointed with the loss against Juventus. The Bianconeri are a great team, they are in good form and are running like the wind right now.
"We made some tactical mistakes, but we are on the correct road."
The former Roma tactician also dismissed suggestions that his ageing squad are not physically up to the challenge of Serie A.
"I haven't got a worn out squad," he responded. "I don't see that in training. Give me time and you'll see that I am right. This squad still has a lot to give.
"When you change training sessions, you sometimes get a few problems. But since we arrived here we've only been able to train properly during the international break.
"We certainly haven't done any damage and we've never done more than an hour and a half's work.
"The injured Douglas Maicon? We've tried to get him training by playing games, maybe that was a mistake, perhaps that could explain it, but you get seasons in which there are more injuries than others."
Turning to tomorrow's game, the Coach was failing to underestimate their French opponents despite the fact that Inter are top and Lille are bottom of their group.
"We have a lot of respect for Lille," Ranieri stated. "They haven't lost for some time away from home and the last time they came to San Siro they beat Milan.
"But we want to win tomorrow to try and get qualification in the bag.
"Eden Hazard? As I said before the first game, he's a great player."
Hazard today told the Gazzetta dello Sport that Inter, and Milan, contacted him over the summer about a potential move.