No rift with Icardi, insists Inter forward Jovetic

Inter forward Stevan Jovetic has stressed he is not in conflict with the club's captain Mauro Icardi.

The two strikers' performances when playing alongside each other have been criticised this season despite the impressive results from Roberto Mancini's men in Serie A, where they sit top of the table.

Jovetic, 26, has scored four league goals since joining from Manchester City and insisted there is no issue between him and Icardi.

"I have no problem with Icardi on or off the pitch," said Jovetic. "He is a great guy and a great player.

"We have not played together a huge amount. We can improve and we will do it until the end of the season."

Jovetic was speaking ahead of Inter's friendly match against Paris Saint-Germain in Doha, which he believes will be ideal preparation for the Serie A game with in-form Empoli, who have won four straight matches, when they return from the winter break on January 6.

The Montenegro international continued: "It is a very important game for us.

"We will have to do our best in order to ready ourselves for the challenge against Empoli."