ESPN FC’s Paolo Bandini discusses the pressure on Inter Milan in Sunday’s game against Lazio and the interesting position Stefan De Vrij finds himself in.
Stefan De Vrij said he did not want to play in Lazio’s final game of the Serie A season against Inter Milan as he confirmed he has agreed a switch to the Nerazzurri.
De Vrij’s foul on Mauro Icardi resulted in a penalty which helped Inter pick up a 3-2 win which saw them leapfrog their opponents into fourth place, securing Champions League football next season.
The Dutchman has confirmed the rumours of him switching between the two clubs this summer are true and while he insists he gave 100 percent for Lazio even in that final game of the campaign, he says he never wanted to be involved in it.
“I was focused on the game and I played as well as I could,” he told Voetbal International. “I can look at myself in the mirror. People who know me know that I did all that I could. I didn’t take any notice of all the commotion it caused, I just switched off completely.
“But on the eve of the game, I told the club that I didn’t have a good feeling about it. I didn’t feel I could play well, but the club said they wanted me on the field.”
De Vrij already knew that he was going to join Inter, with whom he says he has signed a five-year contract and cannot wait to get to work with after the World Cup.
“Of all the clubs who enquired about me, Inter were the ones who impressed me the most,” he said.
“For their project, their ambitions and the feeling they gave me. I’m ready for a new challenge and they offered it to me.
“I had some great years at Lazio and I think we did the best we could, apart from missing out on the Champions League.”
Ben Gladwell reports on Serie A, the Italian national team and the Bundesliga for ESPN FC, UEFA and the Press Association. @UEFAcomBenG.
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