Joao Mario has explained how he has won over the support and coach Luciano Spalletti at Inter Milan.

The midfielder appeared all set to leave in the summer after spending last season on-loan at West Ham.

“Every so often, at the end of games, I thought that I had at least given everything on the field, even I didn't play very well in a technical sense," he told DAZN.

“However, I saw that people were annoyed with my performances so I had to go over some things and improve.

“I didn't think I could've been a starter a year ago. Playing at San Siro can be a bit complicated, so I had to be patient.

“In the past I was very worried about what I couldn't control, but one thing I've learned is that even if you work hard, there are some things you can't control. Therefore, you have to be calm because sooner or later an opportunity will come.

“Not playing that many games was tough for me, but it forces you to grow up. I didn't expect to play. It was a difficult match, away from home.

“However, I had the opportunity and I knew I had to give everything to gain continuity. Spalletti tries to help everyone with their mental state.

“Maybe you're not feeling good mentally and people don't understand why. Spalletti's a very emotional person in games.

“I already knew I couldn't play in the Champions League because of Financial Fair Play, even if I stayed after the summer.

“We were dealt two very good teams in the group, so it's a shame that we weren't able to go through."