Dejan Stankovic insists there's no need to panic after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Udinese in yesterday's Serie A opener.

Coming on the back of last week's Super Coppa defeat, Inter have not started the season in good form, but Stankovic says: "We aren't at the top of our match fitness yet, but it is very difficult to play in this heat.

"We could have put the result under lock and key in the first half, but that is football. With the red card we started to struggle. "It is not a disaster, we just need to have a little patience.

"There were some improvements in terms of play. I am convinced that without the dismissal we could have controlled the game all the way to the end. This is just the beginning and there is a long way to go. We must not fall into the trap of being provoked."