Slovakian defender Milan Skriniar is convinced he will play Champions League football with Inter Milan, and won’t seek an exit, should they fail to qualify for next season’s competition. The 23-year-old has been a revelation for the San Siro outfit since his arrival from Sampdoria last summer, and his performances at the heart of the defence have attracted interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the centre-back stressed that he is content with his stay with the Catalan club, and he is prepared to stick with the San Siro outfit for the long-term, he said: “When I came here, it was said that my price was exaggerated. Now I see it even higher. I’ve heard the talk, I read about Barcelona and other clubs, but I’m only focused on my upcoming commitments: I have to think about games and training. Nothing else matters. Certainly my stay at Inter isn’t linked to whether we qualify for the Champions League, although I’m convinced we’ll reach it regardless because Inter have quality men and professionals. I love this shirt and feel very good in Milan: I said ‘yes’ without hesitation when Spalletti and Ausilio asked me to pick Inter.”
Inter looked as genuine contenders for the Serie A crown during the first few month of the season, but their form has plummeted since the turn of the year, and this sees them in a genuine fight to finish in the top-four. They are currently holding a one-point advantage off fifth-placed AS Roma, but they have plenty of other teams to worry about with AC Milan and Sampdoria picking up their form.
The Rossoneri in particular are unbeaten in the past 13 matches in all competitions, and they will fancy their chances of closing the seven-point gap between them and their cross-town rivals. The Milan rivals face-off in the derby this weekend, and the Rossoneri will have the slender home advantage by their side at San Siro.