Spalletti calls for calm ahead of ´insane´ Milan derby

Luciano Spalletti is calling for calm from his Inter players as he gears up for his first Milan derby as head coach.

Inter and AC Milan head into the season’s first Derby della Madonnina in contrasting form, with Spalletti’s men two points off top in Serie A while their rivals have lost their last two matches.

And the former Roma coach is excited for a taste of one of Europe’s iconic clashes, although he is keen to ensure his players have the right mindset.

“It’s an insane match, marvellous,” he said, speaking at an event to announce Inter’s partnership with Volvo.

“You can feel the different atmosphere in the city, we can feel the heartbeat of our fans and we feel the sense of responsibility – but we have to be calm ahead of the game and have a clear idea.”

| Inter have more points compared to this point last season. That’s the best improvement in @SerieA_TIM. Revitalised ‼️#FCIM pic.twitter.com/9HxXCGxuN8

— Inter (@Inter_en) October 5, 2017

Spalletti is now hoping the current international break will not slow Inter’s early-season momentum after six league wins from seven.

He added: “The absence of international players [in training] complicates things, but we’re used to it and we need to be a bit more fortunate with travel time and the energy used.

“We’re looking to be ready for every eventuality, but this is football and you don’t get a lot of time and so you need to try to recover quickly.”