Inzaghi: "We’ll Play Barcelona With Pride and No Fear"

The words of Simone Inzaghi during the press conference from the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona ahead of the first leg of the Champions League semifinal.

What kind of opportunity is tomorrow's match? What do you expect to see?

"For four years now, these guys have been doing something extraordinary. This past week doesn’t erase everything we've built: we made it this far, it's been an exciting season. 

Yes, we should've done better in the last matches, but after four years we're still here, competing at the top. I will never speak badly of these players or the club. With them and with our fans, we’ve exceeded all expectations."

Is this your most difficult moment as Inter Milan’s coach?

"When you're in a Champions League semifinal, it can’t be considered your toughest moment. There’s lots of excitement. 

We’re coming off a rough week and need to do better, but we’re enthusiastic to play against one of the strongest and most attacking teams around. We’ll need sacrifice, technical precision, and a lot of other elements to face such a strong opponent."

Where’s the line between pressure and ambition? How’s the team?

"Thuram trained with the team today for the first time since the Bayern match. He gave good signs, but I need to assess him. Everyone else is available except Pavard. At the back, I have Bisseck, Darmian, or De Vrij. Dumfries might start — we've missed him. Ambition must always be sky-high. 

The league is no longer in our hands, but we’re among the top four in Europe. The team will face this semifinal with heads held high and plenty of hunger."

Do you expect a different Barcelona — one that defends more?

"Flick is an excellent coach who's brought structure to a very offensive team. It's a squad built over time with many homegrown talents. 

They’ve scored over 150 goals this season — incredible numbers. We respect them but fear no one. In the Champions League, the competition is fierce. We want to face these semifinals as the true Inter."

What do you take from the Bayern matches into this one?

"A lot. Each team has its own philosophy. Bayern was different, but we’ll need to replicate what we did there. We’ll need clarity and make a lot of decisions — we’ve prepared for a highly organized match."

What’s the most important factor to contain against Barcelona? Will Thuram's situation affect the second leg?

"We know it’s a two-leg tie. We thought Thuram would be ready for Roma, but he wasn’t. Tomorrow depends on how he feels in the morning. 

We’ll need to be good in possession to avoid their pressing. We must play clean and defend as a unit — everyone will be needed."

Have you seen more fire and determination from the team?

"We had a bad week, but that doesn't undo our work. We analyzed everything. In terms of effort and passion, these guys give everything. On Sunday, despite a tough result, our fans stood by us. They saw the team give their all in the second half."

Would Thuram’s absence affect your tactics?

"If Thuram doesn’t start, it’ll be Taremi or Arnautovic with Lautaro. Tactically, nothing would change. We’ll decide tomorrow based on how Thuram feels."

How is Dimarco?

"Federico is doing well. Physically, the team is in great shape. Just a week ago, we played an incredible game against Bayern. 

We've had some injuries due to the demanding nature of this Champions League campaign. But the last two and a half matches don’t reflect our true form. Dimarco had an issue, but he’s recovered and will start tomorrow."

Do you agree that Barcelona are the favorites?

"Inter Milan, Barcelona, Arsenal, and PSG are the top four — they deserve to be here. Barcelona come off a Copa del Rey win, and while we’re in a different emotional place, we’ve worked well and will aim for a great performance."

What do you think of Lamine Yamal’s rise?

"Credit to Barcelona’s youth system. Yamal is a unique talent with amazing skills and is a real asset to their team. He’ll be closely watched, but we’ll keep an eye on everyone."

What do you think of this Barcelona team?

"They’re a very well-built side we know well — we played them two years ago. They have technical players and a great game. Flick has brought real structure to them."

Source: inter.it