German champions against Italian champions. It is one of the themes of the challenge scheduled for this evening at the BayArena between Bayer Leverkusen And Inter. At stake, three days before the end of the Champions League championship phase, there are also the round of 16: the Aspirins they are in sixth place in the top rankings, the Nerazzurri in sixth. Whoever wins, especially in the case of Inter, takes a decisive step towards the next step of the competition.
Xabi recovers Schick. The Iberian coach’s main training doubt concerns the use of the former Sampdporia and Roma Czech striker, who has returned to training after a week in the pits. Xabi speaks like this about Inter: “We know we are facing one of the strongest teams in Europe, but we are ready and we have trained, there are great expectations for us. Inter are a team with great continuity, they are very solid and they have a clear idea of what they want to take the games to, they are very mature and it will be fantastic to play against them – he says in the press conference – I’m not closing any doors, as far as the future is concerned my focus is entirely on Bayer Leverkusen”.
Inzaghi in emergency. The Nerazzurri coach, already without Acerbi and Pavard, also has to do without Dumfries, who remained feverish in Italy: “We know the path we’ve had so far, it’s been excellent and we know that at 17 points you could be there, but at 18 you’re there definitely. We have three games left, tomorrow we play against one of the strongest teams in Europe who have lost three games in sixteen months – Inzaghi said in the press conference – until 2021 the team has worked so hard in Europe, we, together with the staff, the fans, the players, have made a great journey. Everyone says it started from the final in Istanbul: it was important, but I think of the matches with Real Madrid and Liverpool in the first year were fantastic, played in an amazing way, as a coach they filled me with pride, against teams that then made the final. It’s a journey that starts from afar.” Romantic return for Hakan Calhanoglu: “I’m coming back here after seven years, it will be wonderful to see many former teammates and club employees again – said the Turkish midfielder, a great ex of the evening – in the meantime I have improved a lot, thanks to Inzaghi and his technical staff”.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN (3-5-2): Hradecky; Tabsopa, Tah, Hincapié; Frimpong, Palacios, Garcia, Andrich, Grimaldo; Wirtz, Tella. Coach: Xabi Alonso.
INTER (3-5-2): Sommer, Bisseck, de Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Carlos; Thuram, Taremi. Coach: Simone Inzaghi.