Benfica-Inter, Bastoni: “Our big chance”

Alessandro Bastoni on the eve of the first leg with Benfica, in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The Inter defender says he is confident and guarantees that the team has nothing to reproach themselves for the latest negative results.

Bastoni, you are four games away from the Champions League final. In its history, Inter have reached the final of the top European competition five times. Do you believe in the possibility of going all the way?

“There’s the awareness of having a great opportunity, Inter haven’t reached a quarter of the Champions League for 12 years. There’s tension, there’s agitation, but the match against Benfica remains a match and we have to face it with all ‘love and joy for this sport’.

You did well in the Champions League, you eliminated Barcelona in the group stage and Porto in the round of 16. In the championship you have suffered various difficulties.

“The championship and the Champions League are two different competitions. In the championship we put in good performances that weren’t supported by the result, we wasted several opportunities, but we’ve never taken the wrong approach to the match. We’ll have to put in malice and competitiveness.”

Benfica have the second best attack in the Champions League. He has a center forward like Gonçalo Ramos that everyone is talking about, a dangerous player like Rafa Silva. How did you prepare it from a defensive point of view?

“In today’s football, the defense is made up of the whole team. It’s important for us that the forwards press well, the defensive phase starts with them. Benfica have great quality with players like Joao Mario, Rafa Silva and Gonçalo Ramos, but we don’t fear them. We’ll have to be tight and compact all together to put them in difficulty”.

Can the fourth Champions League with Benfica turn your season around?

“He can give us great enthusiasm for the championship final and for the Champions League position. Yes, he can give us a great hand physically and mentally.”

cHow is the contract renewal negotiation going?

“With great serenity. I face all the matches with the utmost concentration. The aspect of the contract renewal doesn’t bother me, my agent with the club is taking care of it”.

Compared to the eighth with Porto, the game has improved, but not materialised.

“We created a lot and wasted just as much, if we had scored all those chances we’d be talking about a great Inter. I repeat, in terms of attitude we’ve never played games wrong.”