Inter in the quarter-finals: Inzaghi’s words, the hug with Zhang, the music on the bus and the pilot of the plane…

Inter’s feat at Dragao began when night had not yet fallen on Porto. Simone Inzaghi had been preparing the match since Sunday morning: he analyzed the knockout in La Spezia on video and asked to put the championship behind him for two days. He had “ordered” to honor the progress made so far in the Champions League, speaking of the passage of the round that the team had deserved for what he had done in Europe up to that moment. However, it was Tuesday afternoon that he “increased” the dose and used words capable of inflaming the souls of his men. Simone was a top level footballer and he knew which strings he had to touch.

THIS IS THE GAME

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The former Lazio coach said that “the match” was that, that there was no tomorrow, a chance to fix it. He remarked that the bad performance in La Spezia did not leave a clear mark on the standings because Inter still remain second on their own thanks to the negative results of their direct competitors. Al Dragao, on the other hand, – he underlined – the night would have been from inside or outside. “Either we celebrate or we go home. And none of us want to go home. We won’t get another chance like this.” Then he added: “Even if we were to go down by a goal, we won’t change our attitude, let’s not get caught up in fear. We scored in the first leg and we can do it here too”. There was no need. Neither to be afraid nor… to score.

BANDS AND POSSESSION

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From a tactical point of view, Inzaghi asked for compactness in the middle, demanded that the midfielders lend a hand to the fifth and ordered them to keep the ball to try and make Porto run empty. The latter input was not put into practice due to the great intensity and aggression poured onto the pitch by the hosts. However, Inter have never been disunited, apart from the last 7 minutes, that endless recovery in which Lautaro and his teammates took more risks than in the rest of the match.

HUG TO SIMON

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In the changing rooms, the party was total, with Dumfries and Onana hugging everyone, cheering and applause. Not far away another hug, even more heartfelt, even more intense, that of Inzaghi and the men of his staff with the managers, from president Zhang to vice president Zanetti passing through CEOs Marotta and Antonello, sporting director Ausilio and his deputy Baccin . Simone, with little voice, was naturally the most “sought after” because until a few days before he had also been in the sights of the management for the 8 knockouts in the championship and at Dragao he had just given the answer that everyone in viale della Liberazione expected. The coach didn’t forget to compliment the group: a few words to underline that they were among the top eight in Europe despite the many difficulties they faced (Gosens’ absence, Skriniar and Dimarco’s precarious physical conditions, injuries during the match Sticks and Darmian). More applause.

BALL MUSIC AND PILOT

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The party and the smiles transferred to the team bus which immediately “pointed” to the airport from Dragao. If you imagine everyone sitting in their place, well, you are very wrong: Argentinian music and reggaeton shot at the ball. All smiling. In the plane, the atmosphere was more composed also because the tiredness began to make itself felt, but before anyone allowed themselves to go for a nap, there was the announcement of the pilot who “confessed” his Interista faith, complimented and jokingly promised to get everyone home quickly.

NIGHT IN APPIANO

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The Nerazzurri charter landed at Malpensa, after a two and a half hour flight, around 4 am and the team reached Pinetina by bus where all the players slept. Yesterday morning, however, only a few of the Nerazzurri worked on the fields in Appiano, the ones who weren’t used in Porto. Full training will resume this morning. Maximum concentration in view of Juventus.

KO STICKS

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This morning the defender will undergo tests on his left thigh flexor. The risk of resentment that will make him miss Sunday’s match against Juventus is very high. In his place De Vrij (central), with Acerbi moved to the center-left in the line of three.