Main priority was to win - Spalletti praises Inter's 'heart' after beating Benevento

Luciano Spalletti hopes Inter's hard-fought 2-0 win over Benevento will help his players "regain some conviction" ahead of a crucial period of their season.

Inter looked in danger of dropping points at home against Serie A's bottom club until Milan Skriniar eased the tension inside the San Siro with a 66th-minute header on Saturday.

Andrea Ranocchia followed the example of his fellow centre-back to double Inter's lead soon after, with the result lifting them up to third in the table.

However, Spalletti admitted the squad are struggling under the weight of expectation ahead of huge games against city rivals AC Milan and current leaders Napoli.

"When you question expectations that have been created, then it's normal to feel burdened," he told the club's official website.

"We didn't react in a strong manner, nor did we demonstrate great character, however, the main priority was to win this match and secure all three points. By achieving this, we can now regain some conviction.

"The lads have found it tough of late and they demonstrated this right from kick-off.

"However, despite making many mistakes, the team played with heart. Confusion often reigns during spells such as these, although heart can often find the solution.

"We played with more togetherness in the second half, passing the ball around better and with an increased level of calmness."