The former Tottenham star has faced plenty of challenges in Italy, but he is now thriving under Antonio Conte and is a Serie A title winner
Christian Eriksen claims to be feeling “really happy” after coming through a testing start to his spell at Inter to now be a Serie A title winner under Antonio Conte.
The Danish playmaker headed for the exits at Tottenham in January 2020 as a new challenge was sought after almost seven years in England.
Adapting to new surroundings proved problematic, as the 29-year-old saw another move mooted, but Eriksen has played his way back into form and is now a champion in Italy after embracing the methods of a demanding coach.
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What has been said?
Eriksen told Gazzetta dello Sport of the path he has taken at Inter: “I was willing to learn new things when I arrived. I hadn’t understood I had to follow’s Conte system all the time.
“Before, I was free to make decisions based on what I saw. It had a lot to do with intuition. Now, there is a general plan we have to follow. We must be ready, know where our team-mates are and where they can move.
“I had to learn all this and adapt to a different pace. We spoke in January, and I’ve proved what I am able to do.”
He added: “I have no revenge to take, I just play football. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn’t. This is a sport that evolves quickly, almost every week. Six months ago I was living in a different situation, now we have a trophy and I can say I am really happy here at Inter.
“It was hard to win this title, but we did it with four games remaining. It’s a good starting point, now we can begin a new cycle. It will be hard to win nine titles in a row, but we’ll try to build something beautiful.
“Conte is so important for each one of us, also for the way we play. We follow him and you see that on the pitch. Everyone is so happy to have won with him. However, his stay is not up to me, it depends on the club and him.”
The bigger picture
Eriksen has taken in 31 appearances for Inter this season, scoring three goals.
He was famed for his creative talents at Spurs, allowing him to become a leading provider of assists, but that quality has dried up in Italy.
Not that the strikers ahead of him have needed much assistance, with Eriksen admitting that Romelu Lukaku – with another 27 efforts to his name this term – has become one of the most devastating forwards in world football.
He added on the former Manchester United frontman: “I had no doubts about him, not in the Premier League either, I consider him the best striker out there.
“He is incredible, and now he is even more dominant than he used to be. It’s better to with him than against him.”
Further reading
- Hakimi’s agent responds to talk of move from Inter to Munich
- ‘I was very close to joining Barca & spoke with Messi’ – Lautaro
- Conte’s former assistant Alessio lifts the lid on Mourinho spat
