APPIANO GENTILE - Mauro Icardi has spoken enthusiastically about the impact made by Stefano Pioli in his first few days at the club as the Nerazzurri prepare for the derby on Sunday.
The new coach only took charge last week but club skipper Icardi is already confident that he's the right man to lead Inter to derby success and beyond.
“I'm been impressed by Pioli's constant attention to detail - he's always explaining things to you,” the Argentine revealed at a media conference on Friday afternoon.
"We needed an Italian coach because it would have been harder to work with a foreigner at this moment in time. We also needed a coach who knows the ins and outs of the Italian game and who knows us as players.
"When a new coach comes in everyone wants to show him what they're about. We're working hard so that we can perform at our best on the pitch.”
Icardi also admitted that he'll be looking to get on the score sheet against the Rossoneri – the only club currently in Serie A that he's yet to find the net against.
“It's my job to score goals. It's true that I'd like to score against AC Milan as I've never scored against them but I don't think about who I'm playing when I'm out there.”
Icardi also answered questions about recent calls for him to become part of the Argentina set-up: “I'm just focused on doing my job at Inter. If I get the call, I'll be immensely proud.”
Back on Inter, the striker continued: "We had a few difficulties with the previous coaches. Now it's up to us players to take responsibility and produce the goods on the pitch. We're the ones who go out there and play every week.
"We must always remember that we play for a great club and show it. We did it against Juventus and we can do it against anyone.”
What impact could the derby have in the race for the Champions League spots?
“It's an important game if we want to get back in the Champions League, which of course is a target of ours. We must get Inter back up among Europe's top clubs. It doesn't matter how many points difference there is in the table; what matters is how we go into the game."
Icardi also commented on the possibility of a change in formation.
“The coach's message has been that 11 players go out there and we have to find the right set-up. It doesn't matter how many strikers we play with.
“We've had about 10 to 15 players here this past week. I've tried to share the information I've gleaned from the coach to the other strikers. We have to think as a team.”
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