Hakan Calhanoglu said on Monday that Inter Milan are not thinking about their terrible performance as they try to get past Porto and reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
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Inter lead 1-0 from the first leg at the San Siro and need a performance in Portugal on Tuesday if they are to reach the last eight for the first time since 2011.
Simone Inzaghi’s side have won just once away from home since the turn of the year and suffered an embarrassing defeat at Spezia at the weekend.
“What happened has happened, we don’t think about it. Our season in Europe has been good, we have played well against good teams. Tomorrow we will try and get to the quarter-finals … we only think about tomorrow,” said the midfielder Calhanoglu told reporters.
“It’s good for the team and the club to qualify. We know tomorrow is a big game, I know what the situation is like because I’ve played here before.
Porto are fighting in the quarter-finals for the third time in five seasons and have been good against Italian teams in recent years.
With Inzaghi’s former Lazio teammate Sergio Conceicao in the dugout, Porto are aiming to add to their Serie A scalps that include Juventus and Roma.
Tuesday’s elimination will increase the pressure on Inzaghi with fierce rivals Juventus visiting the San Siro on Sunday.
“The way we played in the match and what we created, that kind of result is about every 500 matches,” Inzaghi said.
“We are second in the league, in the semi-finals of the Italian Cup and have a second leg in the last 16. We have to stay together.”
He is sweating on the condition of centre-back Milan Skriniar, who has been out with a back injury for more than two weeks and returned to team training on Tuesday.
“I know what I have done to prepare myself for tomorrow’s match,” added Inzaghi.
“He hasn’t been able to train since the first leg. He’s a good player, but he hasn’t been out for two weeks.