On October 14 at 3 a.m. CET, Inter will host Club Brugge in the second matchday of the Champions League group stage. At the pre-match press conference, Inter's M. Akanji spoke to reporters.

Hello Manu. A question for you: how important are these next two Champions League matches, especially both at home, to achieve the goal—I'm not sure if the players have set a specific total points target, but—to earn the 16 points the coach mentioned to finish in the top eight?

Yes, very important. But first, we need to focus on tomorrow's match. We can't think about Shakhtar Donetsk right now. The most important match is always the next one, and that's Club Brugge tomorrow. Our goal of finishing in the top eight is very clear, and we need to start winning to achieve that. I hope we can do that starting tomorrow.

Hello Manuel. Compared to your first season when you joined the team last year, do you feel that the team is now more focused and determined to pursue the dream of winning this trophy? Looking at the club's signings in this transfer window, this season's Champions League feels like more than just a distant dream.

To be honest, I don't really remember all the opponents from last season's group. With so many matches, it's always difficult to recall who we played. But yes, our goal is definitely to finish in the top eight and secure direct qualification. Let's see what happens next. We need to focus on playing well in every match.

The team is always changing. Compared to last season, our squad has changed too. So everything is new. We'll play our first home Champions League match of the season in front of our fans. And this season, our only loss came in the Champions League. So yes, this is a great opportunity to get our first Champions League win.

Following up on that topic, some of your comments after the Swiss national team match have reached Italy—you said that Inter's goal this season is to win everything, or at least perform better than last season. What is the foundation of your strong belief that the team can perform well even at the highest level of competition, like the Champions League?

Yes, I think so too. So far, I have a very good feeling. In the league, we've only had one draw, right? We won all the other matches, so I'm very confident.

You could say we have a bigger squad. The team has greater depth. So as we saw in the weekend match, we've rotated the lineup in many positions, and the players who came on performed very well. I hope this will help us in the Champions League as well.

And most importantly, everyone stays healthy and we have a full squad available. Because only then can we show our full strength and support each other on the field. So yes, I'm very confident about this season.

Hello Manuel, you were a key player and cornerstone at Manchester City. I'd like to ask if you have your own perspective and understanding of what's happening in England right now. Are you in contact with any former teammates? What do you really think about everything that's happening there?

Yes, I'm in occasional contact with friends at Manchester City, but clearly, I'm not particularly worried about what's happening there. My full attention is here at Inter. And yes, I see all the developments in the news about what's coming next. So I don't know what will ultimately happen, but I hope they can maintain their championship title. For me, that's what matters most.

Hello Manuel, have you had a chance to message Sommer recently? Have you joked with him like "I'm going to score against you tomorrow" or "I'll score on Tuesday anyway"? Have you had any similar exchanges?

Yes, I spoke with him two days ago. During tomorrow's 90 minutes, we're no longer friends, but that's what football is. He's still a good friend of mine, but yes, tomorrow the only goal is to win the match. And yes, I hope we can do that.

Hello, it's your second season at Inter. You're now very familiar with the overall environment and the coach here. Compared to last season, in what ways has the entire team grown and improved? And during this journey you've embarked on this season, what aspect gives you the most optimism about the future?

Yes, I'm in my second year here, and it's the same for the coach. But so far, I have a very good feeling, though the season is just beginning, so let's see what happens next. But clearly, our goal is to go further in the Champions League. We exited too early last season, but we've always performed very well in Italy. We won two trophies domestically, and I hope we can repeat that success this season. And let's see what ultimately happens in the Champions League.

Hello everyone. Considering that we lost to Real Madrid in the first match, do you feel that with the next match coming up, this is an almost "must-win" situation to reach the top eight, with no room for mistakes?

No, I don't go into matches thinking "we can't afford to lose anymore." Even if we don't win tomorrow, there are still six matches left in the group stage, and we have plenty of chances to win them all. But clearly, our goal is to win at home, in front of our fans. And yes, that's the mentality we have going into this match. We'll do our best to win. And let's see what happens after 90 minutes.

AI翻訳。

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