Roberto Mancini insists the 'challenges' Inter face means they'll remain behind Juventus, Roma and Napoli next season.
The Nerazzurri failed to reach Champions League qualification in spite of substantial investment by the club, and will have to build a different type of squad to challenge for third place next season.
Roberto Mancini insists the 'challenges' Inter face means they'll remain behind Juventus, Roma and Napoli next season.
The Nerazzurri failed to reach Champions League qualification in spite of substantial investment by the club, and will have to build a different type of squad to challenge for third place next season.
“The foundations are there and they are excellent, but we'll be able to improve on them if we get a few additions to the squad,” Mancini told the Press. “We never had any problems in the clashes against the big teams, and this is important.
“The players have improved, I'm thinking of [Geoffrey] Kondogbia and [Ivan] Perisic. They really took a leap forward in terms of quality. At the beginning of the season we were still behind many of the teams, so we didn't do too badly.”
Sassuolo will qualify for the Europa League next year unless Milan are able to gain a spot by beating Juventus in the Coppa Italia, and Mancini was asked which scenario he preferred.
“Do we always have to be polemical?” he joked. “Milan can beat Juventus in the final. Whoever's worthy of the Europa League will qualify.
“[Zlatan] Ibrahimovic? As I already said, he changes games on his own, in Italy and abroad. He would be decisive.
“The Financial Fair Play regulations? It's never easy to explain this situation clearly, but we'll see what we can do about it. With regards to my contract, the club can do as they like. Personally I don't have a problem with having a one-year contract only.
"We'll review my future and the situation only if the club is unhappy. Not everyone understands the challenges we're facing right now. I don't like to hear people complaining that we changed so many players and yet only managed fourth place.
“Juventus, Roma and Napoli are ahead of us, and that's not going to change next season. That's a certainty.”