Simone Inzaghi prepares for his first game in the Champions League with Inter, as the Nerazzurri host Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid on Wednesday night. ‘We need a perfect match’.
Inter have struggled to advance from the group stage in recent years but Inzaghi is focused on the present and aims to bring the Nerazzurri to the knockout stages of the competition.
“What happened, including last year, is in the past,” Inzaghi said at a press conference. “We have a great opportunity to write the present.
“It will be a complicated group, but we want to advance.”
Inzaghi brought Lazio to the last 16 in 2020-21 and Inzaghi believes the experience will help him.
“I think experience is very important, we know from the day of the draw that the group is not easy,” he continued. “There are two other teams who will do everything to put pressure on us.
“We have recovered well from Genoa, and we will try to prepare as best we can. It will be very, very insidious, they have a great history, coach and players.”
Inter arrive after a 2-2 draw with Sampdoria in Genoa and Inzaghi expects a completely different game against the Spanish giants.
“We played with one man down for 20 minutes, there’s regret,” Inzaghi added. “Real have recovered [Luka] Modric and they dribble well.
“We must be good in the non-possession phase to make them run a lot.”
Inzaghi compared his own European experience to Ancelotti’s and predicts a great show at San Siro.
“As a coach, between the Champions League and the Europa League, I’m close to 50 games,” he said. “Ancelotti obviously has many more, we will try to prepare ourselves in the best possible way.
“We are playing with a knife between our teeth and hope to have our best day. In any case, it will be a wonderful evening, in front of our fans.
“We want to do it, knowing that it will be very demanding. Ancelotti is one of the most successful coaches in history, we have exchanged a few words many times in the past, it’s a pleasure to talk football with him.
“Tomorrow, we need a perfect match.”
Inzaghi knows the opening game could define the Nerazzurri’s season in the Champions League.
“Inter haven’t reached the last 16 in the Champions League since 2011,” he said. “Tomorrow we will start with the clear target of advancing from the group.”
Alessandro Bastoni returned from international duty with a knock and Inzaghi said the youngster tries to make it in time for the big game against Madrid.
“He wants to be there, he will have to force a bit more in training and we will see which answers he gives.”
If Bastoni is not fit, Inter will not win. He’s that important (I think).