Inzaghi: "Ready to play with our heads held high"

Ahead of the first-leg clash between Barcelona and Inter in the Champions League semi-finals, Simone Inzaghi responded to journalists' questions at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. This is what the Nerazzurri head coach had to say:

What kind of opportunity is tomorrow? What do you expect to see? "For four years, these players have done and continue to do extraordinary things. What happened last week doesn’t erase all the work we’ve done: we’ve made it this far, it’s been an exciting season, and while we could have done better in the last few matches, we’re here competing for these goals after four years. So you’ll never hear me speak badly about these players or the Club. With them and the fans, we’ve managed to exceed even the most optimistic expectations over these past few years."

Is this your toughest moment since you've been in the Inter dugout? "When you're about to play a Champions League semi-final, you can't say it's the toughest moment. There’s a lot of enthusiasm. We’ve had a rough week, and we need to do more and do it better, but we’re excited to play tomorrow’s match against one of the strongest and most attacking teams around. We’ll need to make sacrifices and be technically clean. We’ll need to factor in many things against such a strong team."

How do you balance the pressure with the ambition to achieve a dream? How are the team doing? "Thuram had his first training session with the team today; we haven’t seen him since the Bayern match. He showed good signs, but I need to assess things further. Everyone else is available except for Pavard. In defence, without him, I have Bisseck, Darmian or De Vrij. Dumfries could start - we’ve missed him a lot. We must always be as ambitious as possible. The league is no longer in our hands, but we’re in the last four of the Champions League, with the players having given everything they have. The team will play this semi-final with their heads held high and with a lot of desire."

Do you expect to see a different Barcelona side? One which also defends? "Flick is a fantastic coach who has given a lot of organisation to a very attacking team. It’s a team that has been built over time with many players who have come through the youth academy. They’ve scored over 150 goals this season - their numbers are extraordinary. We have the utmost respect, but no fear. It’s been a Champions League full of great opponents and fierce competition. We want to play these two semi-final matches like a true Inter side should."

How much of the two-legged tie with Bayern will you bring into tomorrow’s match? "A lot. Every team has its own philosophy - and Bayern are a different side - but we’ll need to bring everything we put into that tie. We’ll need to stay very sharp; it’ll be a match full of decisions to make. We’ve worked with the aim of producing a very organised performance."

What’s the first thing you’ll need to keep under control against Barcelona? And how much will the second leg weigh on the decision you make regarding Thuram? "We know it’s a two-legged tie. We thought we’d have Thuram back for the Roma match, but that didn’t happen. We’ll see tomorrow - a lot depends on how he feels when he wakes up. We’ll need to move the ball well to get around their pressing, be clean in possession and defend as a team, fully aware that we’ll need everyone."

Have you seen a team with more anger and more desire to react? "Clearly, we’re coming off a tough week, which doesn’t erase all the work we’ve done, but we know we needed to do better. We’ve analysed what happened, but these players give absolutely everything in terms of effort, commitment and passion for the shirt. After the match on Sunday, our fans stood by the team on a difficult day - they recognised how much the players gave in the second half."

Would Thuram’s possible absence change anything tactically? "If Thuram doesn’t play, I’ll choose between Taremi and Arnautovic, but I don’t think anything will change tactically. We’ll see how Thuram feels and then decide who will play alongside Lautaro."

How is Dimarco doing? "Federico is doing well. Physically, the team is in great shape - just a week ago, they put in an incredible performance against Bayern. We’ve had a few more injuries than usual, partly because the Champions League has been more demanding this year, but the last two and a half matches shouldn’t be misleading. Federico had a problem and was briefly sidelined, but he’s recovered and will start tomorrow."

There are a lot of people saying Barcelona are the favourites - is there really that much difference between the two teams?" "Inter, Barcelona, Arsenal and PSG are the best four - they’ve deservedly made it this far. Barcelona are coming off their Copa del Rey win. We may come into the match in different form, but the team have worked well these past few days and we’ll aim to put in a great performance."

What do you make of Lamine Yamal’s explosion onto the scene? "You have to give credit to Barcelona for the work they do in their youth academy. Yamal is a one-of-a-kind talent - he produces some incredible moments and is really important to the team. We’ll watch him closely tomorrow, but Barcelona don’t just rely on him - we’ll be keeping an eye on all of them."

What are your thoughts on this Barcelona side? "It’s a team that has been built very well over time and one we know well. We played against them two years ago, and the players possess technical quality and everything needed to play great football. Flick is organising them brilliantly."