Piotr Zielinski sees Inter’s season as a pursuit on two fronts: defending the Scudetto at home and chasing the one prize the club still wants most in Europe.
Speaking in Milan at the Premio Gentleman, the Polish midfielder said the Champions League remains Inter’s central ambition. Last season’s league title, added to the Serie A crown he won with Napoli three years earlier, has not reduced his appetite for more silverware.
Quick facts
- Zielinski, 32, joined Inter in 2024.
- Inter won the Scudetto last season.
- The midfielder previously won Serie A with Napoli three years ago.
- He named Roma, Napoli, Juventus, Milan and Como among the clubs likely to matter in the title race.
- Inter were beaten at the Bernabeu despite enjoying spells of possession and creating chances.
“We have this dream of winning the Champions League; it is the biggest competition,” Zielinski said. “It will not be easy, and we know that, but we will give everything and see where we are at the end.”
For Inter, the message is not one of entitlement but of belief. Zielinski said the squad has the quality to improve on its European showing from the previous campaign and suggested it has the level to go all the way if it finds the necessary consistency.
“We want to show our quality in the Champions League, because there is a lot of it in this group,” he said. “We want to do better than last year. We have a very strong side, so reaching the end is possible.”
He pointed to the recent defeat at the Bernabeu as evidence of the team’s standing, rather than a reason to retreat. Inter could not take the result in Madrid, but Zielinski felt their ability to control phases of the match, retain the ball and build opportunities underlined the side’s confidence.
“It is not something every team can do at the Bernabeu, to take command, keep possession and create chances,” he said. “Unfortunately we lost, but there is awareness within the group: we are strong, and we showed that in Madrid too.”
The domestic picture is likely to become clearer over the coming months. Zielinski declined to identify one principal challenger, arguing that Inter must first take care of their own results as they try to retain the title.
Roma, Napoli, Juventus and Milan were all listed as expected competitors, with Como also included in his assessment. The Scudetto, in Zielinski’s view, will be decided by the side that keeps winning through the long stretch of Sunday afternoons rather than by early declarations.
