Inter Milan have effectively admitted that they were not ready for the new season following their shock opening defeat by Chievo.
Instead of building on last season’s progress under Roberto Mancini when they finished fourth, Inter endured a turbulent summer during which the club changed hands and Mancini departed by mutual consent two weeks before the kickoff.
The words “transitional season” are the last their supporters will want to hear as they endure their fifth season without Champions League football, but that is what they could get under new coach Frank De Boer and owners Suning.
Chinese electronics retailer Suning Commerce Group Co Ltd bought nearly 70 percent of Inter for 270 million euros ($305 million) in June, less than three years after the club had been sold to a consortium led by Indonesian business tycoon Erick Thohir.
Inter have said that Thohir will remain as president.
Dutchman De Boer, who is still learning Italian, did not experience Serie A and its many idiosyncrasies as a player and will need time to adapt.
He has admitted preparations for the new season were far from ideal, with a number of Inter’s players still recovering after playing in Euro 2016 or the Copa America.
“The best Inter players haven’t played in a full match all summer. They’ll have to work to get in top condition in the coming weeks, but the league has started,” said De Boer, whose side host Palermo on Sunday.
“Our physical condition is a tricky question at the moment,” he added.
“We have to improve on it and the only way is by playing games and unfortunately we can only do that in matches where there are three points at stake every time.”
Goalkeeper Samir Handanovic criticised Inter’s pre-season schedule, in particular a gruelling tour to the United States where they played across the country in Oregon, Utah, New Jersey and North Carolina.
“We took part in a tour where we had only half of our squad and there was little time between games and travelling to do any actual training,” he said.
Inter made two major signings, Italy midfielder Antonio Candreva and Argentina midfielder Ever Banega, and critics agree that, on paper, they have a strong squad, especially after they managed to hold on to their best players.
It is now up to De Boer to make sure they are ready.
“We need to fight as a team, all of us together, for our fans and for the club. That’s fundamental to any success,” he said.
“We have a quality team and we must fight for every ball and every inch. You’ll see that on Sunday.”
“I want my team to play to win every game.”