Federico Dimarco, Inter Milan’s dynamic left-back, recently sat down with Valon Behrami for DAZN’s “My Skills” segment, offering insights into his playing style, influences, and thoughts on manager Simone Inzaghi. The Italian defender spoke candidly about his technique, team dynamics, and personal growth at Inter.
Dimarco revealed the secret behind his precise crosses: “I use the inside of my left foot. It’s the part that allows me to give the right power to put the striker in a position to score.” He emphasized the importance of first touch in modern football, stating, “I’ve always liked watching players who beat their man with the first touch. In our style of play, timing is crucial: we’re always in motion, and it’s very, very fun.”
The defender’s admiration for former teammate Aleksandar Kolarov was evident: “A player I’ve always watched for kicking technique is Kolarov. I’ve always liked his way of striking the ball. I was fortunate to train with him for a year and learned a few things.”
When asked about his nomination for the Team of the Year, Dimarco remained humble: “It’s very nice, but it’s an achievement that doesn’t just come from personal performances. My game is based a lot on how the team plays. I take it as a team merit. Whether I’m one of the best in the world in my role, I’ll leave that for others to say.”
Dimarco had high praise for manager Simone Inzaghi, calling him “underrated.” He elaborated, “We’re talking about a coach who has won so much in recent years and was immediately questioned externally for a minimal defeat. He never flinched, always stayed in his place, and I think this is a great value he has.”
The left-back also touched on balancing his roles as both a player and a fan of Inter: “Since I returned after the Verona experience, I’ve worked a lot on being an Inter player but also a fan. The first year I suffered a bit from this aspect, having to prove that something extra that the fans would have liked. I understood that I just had to be myself, be calm.”
Dimarco shared a special connection with the fans’ chant, “I promised you as a child,” explaining, “It’s a beautiful chant that I’m attached to because it’s the truth: as a child, I promised myself I would play for Inter, and I succeeded.”
When asked about the Champions League, Dimarco playfully dodged the question: “If the Champions League is a goal for me, I won’t say (laughs). I haven’t thought about what I’d be willing to do for the Champions League yet…”
The interview also highlighted Dimarco’s relationships with teammates Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolò Barella, and Lautaro Martinez. On Martinez, he said, “We’re talking about a very strong striker. He needs to understand that even if he has bad moments, he remains a strong player. He shouldn’t get stubborn; he knows he has a team behind him that always supports him.”
Dimarco concluded by discussing his set-piece arrangement with Hakan Çalhanoğlu: “Calhanoglu and I have an agreement: he takes them from the left, I take them from the right. We don’t even need to talk about it; I always try to help him, for example in positioning the wall. We’re always in sync.”
