Inter director Beppe Marotta shoots down any suggestions the club will offer bonuses to finish in the top four, insisting it would be ‘depressing’, and reiterates ‘nobody could’ve imagined’ they’d be in the Champions League quarter-final with Benfica.
It kicks off at San Siro at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
The Nerazzurri won the first leg 2-0 with a Nicolò Barella header and Romelu Lukaku penalty, so anything short of a catastrophic performance tonight will see them face cousins Milan in the Champions League semi-final.
That would be a repeat of the 2002-03 edition, which saw the Rossoneri then beat Juventus in the Final.
“The support of a crowd like this can certainly help the team, but then the players are on the field and must show the right determination to face a difficult opponent. They have two goals in their pocket, but those will not be decisive yet and we still need a top level performance,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.
There have been reports that failure to get through to the semi-final would see coach Simone Inzaghi sacked.
“Nobody could’ve imagined at the start of the season that we’d be here playing for a chance to play in the Champions League semi-final. That is down to the coach and the players. Seeing as we are here, let us show these splendid fans something extraordinary that has been missing from this club for 13 years now.
“Today evaluating the Coppa Italia and the Champions League, we are in a position that we did not expect, so that has been extraordinary. We have been lacking in Serie A. Seeing as Inter are a big club, we must find that same consistency in the league and fix that defect.
“Naturally, playing in three tournaments is a strain on the players, but we must show how attached we are to the club.”
There have also been newspaper reports that Inter are ready to offer financial bonuses for the players if they manage to qualify for the Champions League next season, something Marotta absolutely denies.
“It would be negative, as players must not be mercenaries. If we have to motivate players economically to achieve an objective that is within their reach and represents a satisfying moment for the fans, it would be depressing.
“When I arrived, the first thing I did was to eliminate bonuses for the top four in Serie A. Inter must always be there. If the other teams are better, we take our hats off to them, but I don’t believe monetary gain would motivate them.”
Marotta was also asked by Amazon Prime Italia if there is a plan for what to do with Inzaghi if they do go out tonight.
“I don’t want to think about it. We know that the role of the coach is always the target for criticism, but we know how to evaluate the situation in the best way. We must work on the present and let the coach get on with it.”