Former Nerazzurri star Spillo is certain: “Winning the league is very important, it’s the only way to overcome last season’s disappointments. But you can’t snub the Champions League…”

Spillo knows a thing or two about Inter, goals, and trophies with Nerazzurri colors. In 1979/80, Alessandro Altobelli scored 15 goals — which would later become 209 in 466 appearances — and led Inter to the Scudetto, which is once again the primary objective. “The victory over Lecce was another sign, if one were still needed. Inter is a well-built team, it’s at the top of the table and has consolidated this position, thanks in part to the recent results of the other two contenders up there. It’s always fighting for the top spot and I hope this year doesn’t end like last season. At the moment, however, I’m sure all the fans appreciate the work of the club and the behavior of the players and the coach.”

Do you like Chivu’s latest choices?

“We’re talking about a former player who spent many years on the pitch and understands certain dynamics well. And let’s not forget that he had already coached at Inter, albeit in the youth teams, so he knows the Nerazzurri environment well. I don’t think we can fault him for anything; on the contrary, we can only appreciate him. To date, we can say that the club made the right choice and he is repaying them by doing an excellent job.”

And he is making the most of the new additions to the squad, above all Pio Esposito.

“I know him well, his family, his brothers, I know what kind of personality that boy has and what kind of player he is. I was expecting him to explode at any moment. He is someone who gives his all, whether he starts or comes on as a substitute, even if only for a few minutes. He’s always in the right place at the right time, and his goal against Lecce is proof of that. He’s carving out an important role for himself. Now he’s growing alongside Lautaro and Thuram, and he can only get better in the future. It was a great decision to bring him back to Milan.”

In short, Inter are doing well up front, but on the right, Dumfries has left a void that is difficult to fill…

“He should be back soon, but I wouldn’t rush things. I’d rather wait an extra day to make sure he’s fully recovered and avoid any risk of a relapse so that he’s 100% for the final rush. Championships are won from March onwards.”

The schedule between now and the end of the month is as follows: Udinese and Pisa in the league and Arsenal and Dortmund in the Champions League. Will they extend their lead in the standings or go straight to the round of 16?

“A club like Inter cannot decide how and in which competition to move forward. This club always aims for everything, as its history shows. Today, it is top of the table and has a manageable schedule ahead of it in the league, but it must be careful never to underestimate its opponents. Starting with Udinese, which is certainly not the new kid on the block. Then there’s Pisa, followed by Cremonese and Sassuolo. Let’s say that in the next eight games, they have two big Serie A matches against Juventus and Milan, as well as other good teams they can compete with to extend their lead. But there’s also the Champions League. So far, Inter have shown that they have a team capable of competing in the league, but it won’t be easy to keep playing so many games. It will take great professionalism and hard work from everyone to ensure that the team is always ready for all these commitments. But when a player arrives at Inter, he knows what mindset he needs to have, he knows what kind of history he represents and what results he needs to deliver.

So is the Scudetto the main goal for this season?

“I think and hope that this could be the right year to smile again in Serie A and overcome last year’s disappointments. For the rest, we’ll see game after game… But the Scudetto would be very important this year. We’re in the lead and we have a strong squad, so I say: let’s keep going like this, giving our all in the league and then also in Europe. Arsenal and Borussia will need to be prepared very well; we know how important and valuable the Champions League is. Also from an economic point of view…”