Andre Onana reflected on Inter’s Champions League campaign so far and their aspirations for victory ahead of their quarter-final tie with Benfica.
The Nerazzurri secured a spot in the final eight stage of the competition with a tense 1-0 aggregate win over Porto in the Round of 16, and now they’ll have to face off against the Primeira Liga leaders Benfica for a spot in the semi-finals.
The victor of this clash will face the winner of Milan–Napoli in the semi-finals, setting up an accessible route to the Champions League final, something Inter haven’t reached in over a decade.
Speaking to UEFA’s media department, Onana first discussed how it felt to join Inter last summer.
“It was great to arrive in a city like Milan, which is wonderful. The people are fantastic. I’m at a great club and I’m very happy here. On the first day I felt like a child.”
He touched on his relationship with Nerazzurri veteran Samir Handanovic.
“There are important players here, top players who know how to help you, like Samir, who is a legend around here. He has done a lot for the club and training with him every day is an honour.
“Our relationship is wonderful. On a personal level he is helping me a lot and I am very happy to be here with him.”
The 27-year-old Cameroonian goalkeeper spoke about how it felt to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
“Handanovic had spoken to us before the Porto game to motivate us and I think he said the right thing about what we had to do on the pitch.
“And after the game, he was really happy. For us it was fantastic, because it had been 12 years since Inter last reached this stage, so it was something to celebrate.”
Onana reflected on a vital save he made against Porto and why Inter signed him.
“It was a very important save, that one at the end with Porto, both for the club and for me. That’s why Inter wanted me, to play the way I’m doing. I’m very satisfied with my performance so far, but after all I’m here to do my job.
“And I’m happy to have made that save especially because it allowed us to go ahead in the tournament, which is the most important thing for us. And we did it by suffering.
“That can happen in football. You cannot always play well. In my opinion, if we have to suffer to get to victory, I accept it.”
Finally, Onana discussed his and Inter’s ambitions for this season.
“We have reached the quarter-finals and in my head I think Inter, this club and its players can aspire to win everything. So, we will try to do our best to win as many competitions as possible.
“Whether we reach the final or not, we will always give our best. We will do our best, even if we don’t make it, we should go home with the knowledge that we did everything we could, but that the football gods were not on our side.”