Inter’s Taremi backed by Qalenoei to reach double figures for the season
Iran head coach Amir Qalenoei has tipped Inter striker Mahdi Taremi to build on his sublime performance against AC Milan in the Italian Super Cup final to add to his goal haul with the Nerazzurri colors.
Taremi, whose contribution since joining Inter in July had been limited to a goal from the spot in 20 games, provided Argentine skipper Lautaro Martinez with an assist and then found the net himself in Riyadh’s Al Awwal Park on Monday.
The Iranian controlled Stefan de Vrij’s long ball with a delicate touch behind the Milan backline and drilled his shot into the bottom corner to give his team a two-goal lead in the early stages of the second half in the Derby della Madonnina.
Milan pulled off a sensational fightback for a 3-2 victory as Taremi was denied a first taste of silverware with Inter, but his coach in the national team is confident the occasion will still be a watershed in the Iranian’s career in the Italian top flight.
“The control and the composed finishing for his goal sums up what Taremi is all about as a striker,” Qalenoei told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Inter fans must trust him. Now that he has broken the curse [of scoring from open play], I’m sure he can reach double figures for the season,” the coach said of his fellow-Iranian, who became Porto’s third all-time leading marksman with 91 strikes in 182 outings before leaving the Dragons in the summer.
“There are dozens of games left, and he will also provide several assists. Taremi is a team player and contributes to the success of his teammates on the pitch.
“I’m sorry about the Super Cup defeat, but a derby goal will be remembered forever. The game was a turning point, and from now on it will be a different story for him,” added the Team Melli head coach.
Asked about Taremi’s best trait as a striker, Qalenoei said: “The sense of responsibility towards his teammates.”
“Taremi knows how to stimulate those around him. He has always done so since his days at Porto, where he scored in droves. He works hard on the pitch and is a committed player. Mahdi is an asset for every coach, and [Inter boss] Simone Inzaghi realized that from day one.”
Many in the Italian football believe Taremi’s qualities resemble those of former Inter forward Edin Dzeko, but Qalenoei says the Iranian is “even a more complete player than the Bosnian.”
“Taremi can play as both a center-forward and as a second striker. From a technical point of view, he is even better than Dzeko. He knows how to play between the lines and drop deep to help with the buildup play and feed the strikers.”
Assessing Taremi’s debut campaign in the Inter shirt, Qalenoei said: “His season should be divided between the Champions League and Serie A. He has been a starter in all of Inter’s six European games, and has a goal and double assists under his belt. In the domestic league, however, he has found less opportunity as Inzaghi likes to rotate his strikers. It is not easy to adapt to Italian football, but he will soon start scoring on a regular basis.”
Asked if he has any suggestions for Inzaghi, the Iranian coach said: “He’s one of the best coaches in Europe and doesn’t need my tips. All I can say is that Taremi is someone who needs to be the focal point of the project to perform at his best.”