Manuel Akanji is confident that new Inter signing John Stones will ‘quickly’ adapt to his new club and insists Switzerland could have won the World Cup: ‘We had been better than Argentina…’
Inter defender Akanji has just begun his second season at San Siro. In his first campaign with the Nerazzurri in 2025-26, he won the Scudetto and Coppa Italia.
He’s recently returned from holiday after taking part in the World Cup with his Switzerland national team.
“I don’t think it will take long to get back to 100%, because I was on holiday for three weeks and, as I normally do, I continued to train,” Akanji told Gazzetta.
“Initially, I did a lot of running and gym work, and since my teammates returned from the tour, we’ve been working together on the pitch. Now I can’t wait to get serious with Monza: another season is a new beginning.”
The Nerazzurri will make his 2026-27 Serie A debut next Saturday against newly promoted Monza.
Akanji has started his pre-season with a new hairstyle.
“Yes, I had to do it. I needed a change,” he said.
“I feel good, and most people say I look a bit younger, so that’s not bad considering I’m 31…”
In the current campaign, he’ll play with Stones again, reuniting with the English defender after their spell at Manchester City.
“It was funny because just a few hours before his arrival was confirmed, my wife and I met his wife on the beach in Ibiza. Pure coincidence,” Akanji revealed.
“We’re friends, and we’ve been on holidays together, and she told us: ‘I think we’ll end up coming…’ A few hours later, at home, I saw John’s message. Now I’m trying to introduce him to Inter. I explain everything to him; I try to translate; the other day I even took him to a restaurant. But he’s a great lad; he’ll adapt quickly.
“Physically, when you arrive from the Premier League, you are already very well prepared,” Akanji continued.
“Tactically, however, it’s different. With Stones, I played in a back four at City and had to adapt. For me, it happened quite quickly, and I know John: he can do everything and won’t have any problems either. Of course, he’ll need the help of teammates and staff, but he’s ended up in the right place.
“Both John and I like to build from the back and have the ball at our feet, but, obviously, marking is the priority. In these respects, we’ve done an excellent defensive job as a team at Inter.
“Personally, I like playing in multiple positions, partly because the coach helps me and gives me some freedom. I’d say the gaffer understands defenders.”
Benjamin Pavard has also returned from a loan spell at Olympique Marseille, making competition at the back even stronger.
“That’s exactly what we need to compete not only in Italy but also in the Champions League,” Akanji noted.
“We have a formidable defence, among the best, and a great squad: in every position, there are at least two excellent players. Now we need to integrate the new players into the system, but the competition in training will be high, which will improve everyone.”
The Nerazzurri have made big changes this summer, seeing some dressing room veterans leave the club as free agents. Akanji’s compatriot Yann Sommer was among them.
“I’ll miss Sommer, but I’ve made many friends here and been reunited with John,” Akanji said.
“My children go to the same school as Mkhitaryan’s children, and I have an excellent relationship with Calhanoglu and Bisseck. I know they’re all English speakers, but my Italian is also getting better and better: I understand almost everything and can get by. The other day at the cinema, I was reading the Italian subtitles for the Odyssey to learn. It was a really good film, but the volume in the cinema was extremely high; by the end, my ears hurt.”
Akanji already has plenty of regrets regarding the latest World Cup, where his Switzerland side was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Argentina.
“Yes, it was tough because we had been better than Argentina and could really have won the World Cup,” Akanji said.
“Without that red card for Embolo, I think we would have gone through. We had even silenced the stadium; then Julian’s goal finished everything, but I remain proud of my Switzerland. Lautaro and I haven’t talked about it; there’s no need, also because neither of us is happy with how the World Cup ended.”
After missing a penalty kick in the Round of 16 against Colombia, Akanji said he’d not take a penalty again with his national team, and he hasn’t changed his mind.
“Yes. Against Colombia in the Round of 16, it wasn’t so much the mistake itself that frustrated me, but having too many doubts, also because I had already missed the last two penalties in tournaments with Switzerland,” he concluded.
