UCL, Inzaghi: "There is so much desire to win, we will need maturity and concentration"

Wednesday 10 May at 21:00 CEST Inter face AC Milan in the semi-final first leg of the UEFA Champions League 2022/23. On the eve of the match, Coach Simone Inzaghi held a press conference:

Do you arrive in good shape for this game?

Qualifying for the Champions League semi-final, the Coppa Italia final and the latest results in the league have helped us to prepare for these matches in the best possible way. Tomorrow is a derby, and we know the importance for us and our fans and we want to get ready for it as best we can.

How are Lautaro and Correa?

"We know that everyone goes through patches of form, especially for the forwards. We had a moment when we couldn't score, now all the forwards are back to scoring but I was calm even before. The problem is when you aren't creating chances, but we always did. Now they are all scoring, the task is form them and the team to continue like this.

How do the squad feel in terms of their mentality?

They feel well, we will need both our heads and our hearts in this game, I am not at all worried about their hearts, for the head it will be more difficult, there will be difficulties that we will need to overcome knowing that we are playing over 180 minutes.

How will tomorrow be and how will you approach it?

We've played several derbies, we've won some and lost some, the derbies we've played give important indications, but at the same time every match is different. There will be times when Inter will be more offensive or more defensive, great sacrifice will be needed, giving your all for your team-mates will be fundamental.

Are there any difficulties in choosing tomorrow's line-up?

I have choices to make in midfield and in attack. We hope to have D'Ambrosio and we will evaluate Gosens, we don't know if he will be in the squad. In midfield and attack there are no problems, in defence we have a slight lack of availability and given the difficulty and the number of matches at the moment we are a bit limited.

Will Inter set up differently depending on Leao's availability?

We all know Leao's qualities, we know he might be there or might not, we will make some adjustments but it won't change our game plan. Against AC Milan we have won and lost. They are not just a counter-attacking team, they know how to play, they have very good dribblers and we will need to be good in all areas of the game.

Is there a chance Calhanoglu may miss out?

For the choices in midfield and attack we will see after today's and tomorrow's training sessions, I have different choices but I am calm about them. The lads know that if they are not used from the start they will be important off the bench like against Benfica and Juventus.

Are you bothered by the tag of favourites that Pioli has labelled Inter as?

Matches are all stories in themselves, we know the importance of tomorrow's game and we want to play it to the best of our ability, knowing that it will be an important step that has to be taken with skill, determination and aggression over 180 minutes.

Where do you think the derbies played so far this season have been won and lost?

We have played several of them in the last few months, we will have to play well and be focused to use our heads when we need to because there are always unexpected events in such important games and in the last few we have been good at handling them.

Is it the most important tie of your career?

It's a very important match as so many finals have been, we know what this derby represents for everyone and for me but I am calm because I have seen how focused the boys are. We know it will be decided in 180 minutes.

What has brought you this far?

After getting through the group with Barcelona and Bayern, the boys have become very aware. We know that all matches are difficult. Porto and Benfica were two very difficult hurdles that we overcame, now one more important one is left to reach the final.

What differences are there between the Rome and Milan derby?

They are both very important, just as much in Milan as in Rome.

How important has Lukaku's improvement been for the squad?

It's why we brought him back, he had an injury that made him unavailable for four months, now he's back and helping us as is the rest of the squad, Brozovic's return has also been important .

What will you say in the dressing room?

There must be no fear but a lot of desire, we must stick together with our fans as we have done in these past months, we have hugged each other and cheered together many times. Sometimes we got angry but we must enjoy these evenings that seemed so far away in August, when they seemed like a dream, and now the final is 180 minutes away.

Is this a similar Inter team to the one that played in Riyadh?

At the time we had a few problems, we didn't have Lukaku and Brozovic, now we don't have Skriniar and maybe Gosens, we strengthen in one department and weaken in another. In Riyadh we arrived with a lot of desire, the team played a great match, now we have to do the same, with the same attitude but over 180 minutes.

What do you feel when you think back on past moments?

We have lost important games and important points in the league, we told ourselves to ignore the noise and get on with things. Now we have won an important final, in the Champions League we are in the semi-finals and we have to overcome a big hurdle to the final which is AC Milan, in the league there are still a few games to go and there is lots for us to do in that competition too.