Bastoni: the mistakes to fix and the race for the top eight

Alessandro Bastoni identifies awareness of danger as the issue to address to get back on track in the Champions League. Speaking to Sky Sport and at his press conference on the eve of the Shakhtar Donetsk match, the Inter defender focuses on the individual and mental errors of the opening two matchdays. After defeats to Real Madrid and Club Brugge, he expects a similar performance in terms of play, but with greater concentration in the moments that decide matches.

Alessandro Bastoni, interview with Sky Sport «If you analyse all the goals we have conceded, 90% come from our own mistakes.»

The percentage is the defender’s own assessment, and he says the issue has been discussed within the squad. Bastoni rejects the idea that anyone takes to the pitch intending to underestimate the opposition, stressing instead the ability to recognise danger. In his view, many goals have come from individual mistakes, rather than situations where the team were set defensively or from counter-attacks. The response he wants therefore also concerns the mental side of the game.

Alessandro Bastoni, press conference «We have to get a result, otherwise finishing in the top eight becomes a huge ask.»

His message also concerns their European ambitions: for Bastoni, the two finals belong in the past, and recent matches demand a return to reality. The Champions League remains a dream, with any opportunities to be seized if they arise, while the immediate priority is a response on the pitch. On a personal level, the defender acknowledges the support he received from the club and the coach during difficult moments, which he makes clear were confined to football.

After the trip to Bologna, Inter will return to San Siro on 21 October at 21:00 CEST for matchday three. The Ukrainian side arrive unbeaten in this Champions League campaign, with a win over AEK Athens and a draw against PSV Eindhoven. Bastoni highlights their technical quality, their large contingent of Brazilian players and their desire to build from the goalkeeper: to contain them, he calls for compactness and a collective defensive effort.