Antonio Conte says there is a clear gap between his new club Inter and last season’s top two in Serie A, Juventus and Napoli.
However, the former Chelsea and Juve boss is hoping that his side’s activity in the summer transfer window will help to bridge the divide.
Champions Juventus finished 11 points clear of second-placed Napoli last season, with a further ten-point gap down to Atalanta and Inter in third and fourth.
Conte is waiting to make his managerial bow as Inter manager on Monday evening, as they host newly promoted Lecce at San Siro in front of what is expected to be a bumper crowd.
“The run-up has begun,” Conte said ahead of the game. “We’re working in the right way, we want to build something significant. Now we have to see if it is a run-up that launches us or if we have to take smaller steps toward the summit.
“There is a gap with some other teams, but we don’t want to limit ourselves, and I don’t want to create any excuses for my players. I don’t know what we’ll be fighting for, but I know that we have to work harder than others.
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“Has the transfer window closed the gap with Juventus and Napoli? Only time will tell. Beyond the window, we need to build a solid base. Juve and Napoli have done significant things in the market, but so have we. If we have achieved this goal, we will have done enough.”
After successful spells at Juve and Chelsea, Conte is expected to deliver success at Inter as they strive to find their way back to the top of the Italian game.
He has been backed in the transfer market with big money spent on the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Valentino Lazaro, plus the permanent signing of Matteo Politano after his loan spell last season.
“I have very high expectations, I set them myself,” Conte said. “I need this pressure and I try to transfer it to my players.
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“I am not looking for sympathy. I’m here for better or for worse, and when I join I cause I do it totally. I am happy that the stadium will be full, we can feel the enthusiasm around us, we will have to show that we deserve it.
“I’m happy with the path I have taken so far. In my players I found men rather than football players. The bulk of the work was done, now we have to work on the details.”
“[Lukaku] arrived full of enthusiasm, he made himself totally available, he is working hard. Clearly he arrived here not at his best, but he has great potential from any point of view.”
