Calhanoglu and Lewandowski specialists, but after them there are …
The unexpected guest, this time, is a little more awaited than usual. Because it is true that Inzaghi’s Inter has had to go from the guillotine of the penalties only once in four years (the Ko of the Champions League passed, in the round of 16 in the home of Atletico Madrid) and that Barcelona, in the same clove of time, did the same (winning, however, against Betis in the semifinal of the Super Cup 2023 in Riad), but tonight there is a risk. Inzaghi himself recalled that this Inter-Barça framed him as a final in the house: “After the 3-3 of the first leg, you can only win. Perhaps passing from extra time or penalties”. And then a rapid review on strengths and weaknesses of the two semifinalists, and a dozen names to be marked.
The lords of the disk
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To begin with, the specialists: Inter and Barcelona boast two almost infallible, Calhanoglu and Lewandowski, and it is to be bet that they will lead their companions if the challenge should land on the spot. Also because the Barça center forward, just recovered by the injury that had stopped him in the first leg, will begin from the bench: limited autonomy but sufficient to present himself in front of Sommer with the speechless stadium, if there is a need. Just two numbers to make the idea: out of 98 penalties, 88 times the ball went on the net; In Blaugrana we are 13 centers out of 15. Calhanoglu is a car: 48 penalties transformed into a career, just 6 mistakes. In the Nerazzurri he splashes towards perfection: 23 goals on 24 shots, first penalty failed last November against Napoli. The penalties kicked out of the regulatory and additional times do not make statistics, but it is worth remembering that Calha also marked in the metal of the metropolitan, the only Inter player together with Acerbi.
Personality
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Here, the Inzaghi plant is not a specialist like Hakan, but it is equipped with everything you need so as not to tremble at the moment. Barella is also one of the Interists ready to beat if he served, as he said in the national team before challenging Ukraine: Nicolò the penalties attended them at the time of Cagliari, then he stopped after a mistake against … Inter but in short, with the penalty from inside or outside it is not only a matter of habit, but also and above all of personality. And of experience: in the Barça house, as well as on the usual Lewandowski, Flick can count on Iñigo Martinez and on Szczesny between the posts: at the 2022 world championship the ex Juve stopped by the spot, but Calha has already laundred.
Joints
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The other rigorists, Barcelona will host them from the beginning: Raphinha is the deputy Lewa and is almost infallible (13 penalties transformed into 14), Dani Olmo is cold at the right point (and Sommer has marked with Spain at Euro 2020), Pedri kicked, marking, the decisive shot that he delivered to his the final of the 2022-23 Super Cup and De Jong himself would not be back. The point is to understand who will arrive at the end of any extra time, also because Flick usually recharge the batteries of his Barça in the race in progress right in the middle of the field. So watch out for Ferin and Gavi, who could take over from the bench. In those parts, Inter deployed a discreet battery of shooters, from Zielinski-brace on penalty in 4-4 with Juve, Rotterdam error against Feyenoord-A Taremi, the man destined to take the place of Lautaro when the Energies of the Bull will inevitably fall. The Iranian in the Nerazzurri has almost always disappointed, but from eleven meters he has not betrayed: 2 out of 2. His coldness will be able to decide tonight, as the preparation of summarly: Yann the rigorists studied them, but in Madrid he stopped only Saul. Against Lewa and his companions he will serve more.
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