Vieri: Optimistic about Inter Milan s competition for Serie A championship, the Champions League final loss will not erase the team s value

August 23: In an interview with Italian media "Milan Sports", Vieri talked about his views on the championship competition.

Which team do you think will be in the lead?

"I want to go the other way. Napoli is the defending champion, and in theory it should be the target of being challenged, but now even if the transfer window has not been closed, the team with the most complete and deepest Serie A lineup is Inter Milan. The original team who defeated Barcelona on that incredible night four months ago was retained. Yes, although he lost the final later, 0-5 will not erase the value of this team."

Is Zivo the right person to take the team out of the shadow?

"Enough, it's all over. Although the wound is deep, time can heal everything. Now we must focus on preparing for the game and win back the lost trophy. At the same time, we must remember that it is not the norm to reach the Champions League final in three years. I admit that I didn't expect to choose Qiwo. I originally thought that the one who replaced Inzaghi would be a more experienced coach, but Inter Milan insisted on going his own path. Qiwo is young, has clear ideas, has a leadership temperament, and is familiar with the environment. Now we will see him performing his skills, I'm very curious."

Do you recognize Inter Milan's transfer operations?

"First of all, we have to start from the point where they keep all the cores, which is an extremely important starting point. Then Lukeman's transfer is devastating, and I will insist on trying to sign him until the end, because he is one of the strongest players in Europe and can bring the team's strength to the next level."

People say Esposito is like Vieri, agree?

"I don't like comparison, but he is a real genius and has great potential. He has shown the data in the Club World Cup, but now it depends on himself. With such physical conditions, he must work harder and force himself to stay in the best shape every day, because he can't always play in Inter Milan. After all, there are Lautaro and Touram in front of him, one of the best forward combinations in the world. You must be patient. The evaluation depends on playing time and goals: you must understand that even 20 minutes is enough to score in such a team."

How do you think of Conte's second year in coaching Napoli, especially Lukaku is absent for 4 months?

"Football was invented by the devil. You sent Raspadori and Simeone Jr., and then Lukaku was injured. Conte was not lucky and had too much loss. He had to return to the market to find a new center, but I am full of confidence in Luca. Unlike Naples, Udinese needs time to adapt to such a demanding coach's training load, but he can explode young. He has a chance, and he has a championship-level teammate like De Bruyne behind him."

Who is the center of the Italian team?

"After many years we finally have two centers who can score, Keane Jr. and Retge, although the latter has left (Europa League). Since we can play two, why only one is used? The other positions can be adjusted accordingly. And there is still fresh force behind them, Esposito and Kamada, who may be a surprise to Lecce. The important thing is to win this World Cup with Gattuso, which brings a sense of belonging and identity."