It will take “a determined and attentive Inter team” to beat Barcelona, says Inzaghi | OneFootball

Speaking ahead of Inter Milan’s decisive UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona, manager Simone Inzaghi recognised the scale of the challenge his side faces and admitted that only a near-perfect performance will be enough to overcome their in-form opponents.

Barça have already won two titles this season and are seemingly on course for a historic quadruple, but they must first overcome a Nerazzurri side that held them to a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys last week.

“We all know the importance of the match,” Inzaghi explained during Monday’s pre-match press conference. “We have to play a great match against a very strong team. We have seen their strength first hand. We will need a determined and attentive Inter team.”

Tuesday’s opponents are known for dominating possession, with Inzaghi highlighting that “they have about 80% ball possession on average” – but the 49-year-old expressed that “they risk something in defence” as a result.

For Inzaghi, there’s more at stake. He could become just the second Inter manager to qualify for two Champions League semi-finals – a feat that he says “wasn’t a foregone conclusion at the start of the season because every team tries to win everything.”

But his last appearance in the Champions League final, in 2022/23 against Manchester City, left the Nerazzurri disappointed. Rodri’s strike ensured it was Manchester City heading home with their maiden European trophy, and Inzaghi confirmed “that thought is still inside us.”

“It was hard to digest because we played a great match. However, we live in the present – it’s a part of the path we’ve taken over the years. Now we want to continue and we’re two games away from a [Champions League title] win, despite all the difficulties.”

Inter host Barcelona in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final at 20:00 BST [21:00 CEST] on Tuesday 6 May.