Although Inter will be the underdogs in the Champions League Final on June 10, Stephen Kasiewicz argues that neither Real Madrid nor Manchester City will enjoy facing Simone Inzaghi’s men in Istanbul.
It’s a dangerous game to disregard Inter. Inzaghi’s side have been written off so many times you would think they were plucky outsiders from the backwaters of the Continent.
Now the Italian giants will play in European football’s showpiece match for the sixth time in their storied history after overcoming rivals Milan at San Siro. In a game defined by opportunities missed and taken the Nerazzurri kept another clean sheet as Brahim Diaz and Rafael Leão couldn’t convert chances in an absorbing Champions League semi-final second leg.
Lautaro Martínez struck the decisive goal to secure the designated home side’s place in Istanbul. The celebrations had barely finished before the inevitable questions about their prospects in the final began.
According to a minority of staggeringly blinkered former English professionals turned analysts the Nerazzurri might as well already have runners-up medals round their necks.
Inter were sneered at as not so much underdogs as losers in the eyes of pundits programmed to believe the English Premier League is the only top division in existence.
While there is no doubt Manchester City or Real Madrid will head to Turkey as odds-on favourites to lift the Champions League trophy, it seems presumptuous to completely discount an Inter team packed with seasoned internationals.
The Nerazzurri eliminated Barcelona in the group stages and defeated both Porto and Benfica before a historic two-legged Derby della Madonnina triumph.
It’s no fluke that they’re back in the Champions League final for the first time since winning the competition under José Mourinho in 2010.
The underappreciated Inzaghi will never be the Special One for sections of the Inter support after an underwhelming, topsy-turvy league campaign. Yet the tactician has made full use of a supremely talented squad to take Inter to the brink of European glory.
Neither Real Madrid nor Man City will relish facing the Nerazzurri’s multi-skilled trio of attackers.
Argentinian World Cup winner Martínez ably netted the winner to down Milan and reach 25 goals for the season in all competitions. The 25-year-old must be mentioned alongside the finest strikers in Europe and showed his full repertoire against the Rossoneri, from deft footwork and intricate link-up play to a chip which nearly fooled Milan shot-stopper Mike Maignan.
The ageless Edin Dzeko illustrated why he’s still a formidable threat, especially in dead-ball situations across both semi-final ties. A brilliant volley from a corner in the opening leg rightly earned high praise from across the continent and only a rapid reflex save from Maignan denied the 37-year-old in the second game.
Inzaghi’s tactic of consistently switching attackers in the latter stages of matches has also paid dividends. The reinvigorated Romelu Lukaku set up Martinez for the only goal against Milan and the on-loan Chelsea forward has looked back to his dominant best in the last month. It’s an unfamiliar role for the Belgian international, yet more than a mere impact substitute he’s a genuine game-changer who could play a vital part in the final.
On the channels the vastly underestimated Italy international Federico Dimarco has again enhanced his growing reputation on the left flank, while right-sided Denzel Dumfries displayed diligence and discipline to contain Milan talisman Leão in a physically demanding San Siro decider.
The stellar midfield three of Nicolò Barella, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan won’t be fazed by any of the star names in the Real Madrid or Man City ranks.
Euro 2020 winner Barella has taken his game to new heights in the Champions League and scored an absolute stunner as Inter surged past Benfica in the quarter-finals. He won’t back down against the likes of Luka Modric or Kevin De Bruyne.
Çalhanoğlu’s set-piece nous and exceptional ball-striking ability are underrated assets while Mkhitaryan has rolled back the years to excel in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
Nothing will alter the narrow-minded opinions of those that scoff at the Italian revival in the Champions League this term. Plenty of the money-laden juggernauts have fallen along the way with one from Spain or England overwhelmingly backed by the bookmakers to claim the ultimate prize.
Yet Inzaghi has already made the impossible a reality for the Nerazzurri, don’t expect them to roll over and surrender in the Champions League final.
Twitter: @SKasiewicz