Akanji: We deserve to qualify for the World Cup. It would be great to score my first goal in the Milan derby

In the sixth round of Group B of the European Group Stage of the World Cup Qualifiers on November 19, Switzerland drew with Kosovo 1-1 in an away game. Switzerland accumulated 14 points and directly qualified for next year's World Cup as the first in the group. After the game, Swiss defender Akanji accepted an interview with SportMediaset.

■About the national team's promotion to the World Cup

Akanji said: "This is a great year, a beautiful promotion, and the whole team has completed an outstanding task. I think we have a very good performance, we have been stable, and we fully deserve to qualify for the World Cup."

■What do you think of Italy going to the play-offs?

"After losing to Norway and with so many goals they scored, it was really difficult to turn things around in the last game because Italy had to win by a big margin. Norway won again and now Italy will play in the play-offs. We'll see. If they want to get to the World Cup, they have to play well."

■What is the goal of the World Cup?

"I'm not sure yet. Let's first think about qualifying in the group, and then see which opponent we will encounter, and then try to go further. We have such strength, and we have shown this in recent competitions. I think we can go very far, but it depends on ourselves."

■Sunday is your first Milan derby, are you excited?

"Yes, I have been looking forward to it, but to be honest, I haven't thought much about it because I am focused on the national team game. We have successfully qualified and I will celebrate tonight and then I will start looking forward to my first Milan derby."

■It would be nice to score your first goal for Inter Milan in the derby, right?

"Yes, of course it's good. I haven't scored yet and hope to do it soon. Scoring goals is not my main task, but if I can help the team in this way, that would be great, maybe this weekend."

■ Can you imagine staying at Inter Milan for the next few years?

"I hope so, we will see what happens this season and then we will decide together with the club. I don't know, it depends on how the season develops, but at the moment I am very happy in Milan."

■ Do you think Chivu can become a great coach in the future?

"He is still very young, but I really like the way he treats the team and the staff, and the way he communicates with us. I am very satisfied with him now. Of course, he is young and still needs to learn a lot, but he has had a great playing career and I believe he can learn from his own experience and previous coaches. We will see how he develops in the future."

■ Is the goal this season to win the Serie A title?

"Of course."