Joaquin Correa admits Inter have ‘made some errors’ this season and reveals he often jokes with Edin Dzeko about Rome derbies.
Inter and Milan meet in the derby della Madonnina on Sunday at 19.45 UK time.
Correa has played many derbies in his career, from those in Argentina to Sevilla and Rome, and tomorrow’s will be the first in Milan in his career.
If Inter lose, they will slip ten points behind their city rivals, but Correa insists the Nerazzurri must only focus on the victory.
“We must think the other way around and have the motivation to move four points behind Milan,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“A victory will change everything and show that we can be the protagonists. However, it’s too early for judgments, we need to stay close to the top.”
Intervista esclusiva a Joaquin Correa: “Tre punti nel derby e svoltiamo. Non ci sentiamo inferiori al Milan” #DerbyMilano https://t.co/pETT1tTtDO
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it) November 5, 2021
How does he explain the gap between Inter and Milan this season?
“It’s simple, they made no mistakes, so they deserve the praise. We made some errors and some episodes did not go our way. We lost some heavy points, but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves, because we are having a good season.
“Now it’s the time to prove with have a top-level team. Surely, nobody feels inferior to Milan, we have a great mentality and we’ll face the derby with no fear.”
Correa has scored five goals in nine appearances against the Rossoneri, but he could start on the bench tomorrow with Lautaro Martinez and Edin Dzeko up front.
“The goal I scored in the Coppa Italia semifinal in 2019 is special, because it brought us to the final that we won,” the Argentinean striker said.
“I also scored a goal in the 94th minute, they are all important goals, but I want more.
“I often joke with Dzeko about the derbies in Rome, I tell him that we (Lazio) used to win all the times. It’s hard to face him as an opponent. It’s much better to have him on our side, he is scoring so many goals.
“I have a great relationship with Lautaro, we get along on and off the pitch. He called me every day when I was about to join Inter, he wanted to know what was going on.”
However, his compatriot was not the only person Correa talked to when he was on the verge of completing a transfer from Lazio in the summer.
“I spoke to [Juan Sebastian] Veron. He was a point of reference for us at Estudiantes. I asked him for information about the club and he just said: ‘Go’. He made me understand how big Inter are and what it means to play here. It’s a dream I’ve had since I was a child.”
In fact, the 27-year-old was close to joining Inter in 2012, when he was 18, and underwent a trial training at the club.
“I wanted to join Inter because I was a big fan given all their Argentinean players. However, the clubs didn’t reach an agreement, but maybe it was destiny and I had to arrive here as an adult.”