Captain Lautaro Martinez has stated that Inter are eyeing the Serie A, Champions League and Italian Cup treble. (Isabella BONOTTO)
Inter Milan are on an unlikely mission to repeat the treble because the Serie A champions journey to tackle Bayern Munich, the staff they beat to finish a historic Champions League triumph below Jose Mourinho 15 years in the past.
Commercial
League leaders in Italy and likewise contesting the Italian Cup semi-finals with AC Milan, Inter have made no secret of their ambitions to emulate their finest ever season of 2009/10, when a star-studded staff beat Bayern in Madrid because of a Diego Milito brace after already securing the 2 home honours.
One other Argentina striker in Lautaro Martinez has been essentially the most bullish about Inter’s possibilities, the captain saying that he believes the Italians can pull off what could be a close to miracle forward of the primary leg of their quarter-final with Bayern on Tuesday.
“It is nearly like we do not wish to say it however sure,” Martinez stated final month after a press release win at Atalanta.
“Will probably be troublesome however we’ll go for it as a result of we wish to win each match we play.”
Commercial
Inter are the newest Italian staff to win the Champions League and had been unlucky to lose the 2023 last to Manchester Metropolis, however there isn’t a denying that Serie A has misplaced the lustre of yesteryear within the continent’s elite membership competitors.
The clashes with Bayern are the important thing fixtures in Inter’s packed April after a comparatively simple run to the quarters during which coach Simone Inzaghi usually rotated his line-ups, with the Serie A title defence his precedence within the early months of the season.
Inter have solely conceded twice within the Champions League and have the perfect defensive document within the competitors this season with two objectives, however have been much more fallible on the again than final time period.
– Shaky Inter –
Commercial
A kind of two objectives conceded got here in Inter’s solely defeat on their strategy to a top-eight end within the league section, 1-0 at Bayern’s league title rivals Bayer Leverkusen.
An lack of ability to shut out matches has characterised numerous Inter’s performances this time period, and their Serie A tally of 30 objectives conceded is already eight greater than of their cost to final 12 months’s Scudetto.
Inter threw away a two-goal lead to attract at lowly Parma on Saturday, and the week earlier than got here very near doing the identical factor in opposition to Udinese on the San Siro.
Their lead on the high of Serie A could possibly be reduce to at least one level on Monday evening after arriving in Germany, with closest Scudetto challengers Napoli at in-form Bologna.
Commercial
Assistant coach Massimiliano Farris stated after Saturday’s draw that Inter “could not discover the psychological or bodily power to comprise” Parma after going two forward, a worrying assertion earlier than a visit to face Harry Kane and firm.
Fortunately for Inter, Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni appears more likely to be match after being seen with an ice pack on his left knee at Parma, however the continued absence of Denzel Dumfries at proper wing-back is an issue with Bayern’s energy on the flanks.
Inter’s likelihood is helped by a Bayern damage disaster which has come simply as Vincent Kompany’s staff shut in on reclaiming the Bundesliga, with a watch on the Champions League last at their Allianz Area.
Germany star Jamal Musiala is the most recent Bayern participant to be dominated out of the tie with a hamstring tear which appears to have ended his season.
Commercial
Musiala joins defenders Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano and Hiroki in probably being on the sidelines till the tip of the present marketing campaign, whereas goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer, winger Kingsley Coman and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic have unclear timelines for his or her returns from damage.
td/nr