Leonardo suffers first defeat

Inter Milan coach Leonardo admitted Udinese played the better football during the reigning champions’ 3-1 away defeat.

Goals by Cristian Zapata, Antonio Di Natale and Maurizio Domizzi gave Udinese the deserved win on Sunday, as well as Leonardo’s first defeat since replacing Rafa Benitez.

“They did very well,” Leonardo conceded.

“The first half of the match was very even but the most difficult thing is to play against a team with quick forwards and two wingers who put pressure on us.”

“We scored the first goal, but they turned it around before the break. I believe that we suffered in the second half of the match.”

“The first half was more balanced, but we suffered more in the second half and it was even more difficult after their third goal.”

Leonardo praised his team’s attacking style in the first 45 minutes.

“Well, I think that we were missing nothing at the beginning,” he said.

“We approached the match in the best possible way and we could have gone 2-0 up after the way we started, but it wasn’t to be.”

“We conceded two goals in the first half and in the second we found it difficult to keep the ball up front against a quick, counter-attacking side.”

Leonardo said the three goals that Udinese scored came from bad defensive errors.

“Well, their three goals came from dead balls and bounces,” he said.

“The third goal especially was quite strange: the ball came in and Domizzi just got ahead of the goalkeeper and scored.”

“If we analyse the goals, of course they could have been avoided.”

“It’s not a case of being surprised by the opposing team’s dead ball tactics. It’s just bounces and it’s a matter of seconds: a kick from outside the area, a free kick by Di Natale and the strange goal by Domizzi.”

“The goals happened in this way. In any case they could have also happened in open play, since Udinese were able to create many chances.”