Leonardo not giving up on Inter

Leonardo does not believe Inter Milan have reached the end of a dominant period in Serie A, despite appearing likely to surrender the title.

Inter have won the league championship every year since 2006, when the fallout from the Calciopoli scandal seriously weakened immediate rivals Juventus and AC Milan.

This season they trail Milan by eight points with four matches remaining and would appear unlikely to win a sixth consecutive Scudetto.

Nevertheless, Inter’s Brazilian coach Leonardo does not believe failure to win the title should mean wholesale changes to the team.

“I don’t believe Inter’s cycle is over, but then again what does that mean?” Leonardo asked.

“Does it mean that we have to change 25 players on the squad? I don’t believe that we’ll change 15 or 25 players.”

“Milan’s cycle seemed like it was over and instead they’ll now win the Scudetto with many of the players from four years ago.”

“Inter are second in the table and still in the running for the Coppa Italia after having won the Club World Cup and the treble last season.”

“The results of the past don’t just disappear.”

Inter’s struggle to match leaders Milan – coupled with surrendering their Champions League crown in the quarter-finals against Schalke – has seen Leonardo’s position come under intense scrutiny.

He is known to have been reluctant to step into the managerial hot seat prior to his appointment by Milan, which ended last year after just one season.

But the 41-year-old insists another difficult experience on the bench has not turned him off the idea of a coaching career altogether.

“For me nothing has ever changed my thinking,” he said.

“I feel a lot like a coach and I am stronger with respect to before.”

“Negative things can strengthen or weaken you. They have strengthened me.”

Inter visit the Stadio Dino Manuzzi on Saturday to take on Cesena.