Champions League, Inzaghi: "Two great teams who want to dominate play"

It's almost time: the Nerazzurri will take to the San Siro pitch to face Atletico Madrid at 21:00 CET tomorrow. The UEFA Champions League is finally back, and Simone Inzaghi's men are aiming to overcome the Spanish outfit over two legs in the round of 16 (the return fixture in Spain is scheduled for 13 March).

At the Suning Training Centre in Appiano Gentile, the Nerazzurri head coach had the following to say ahead of the game:

What was Simeone like as a teammate, and what kind of coach is he now? "It'll be a pleasure to come up against Diego; he was a fantastic teammate. We won trophies together at Lazio before he returned to Spain, but we stayed in touch. You could see that he'd become a fantastic coach. He's been in charge of Atletico for 13 years and leaves his mark on his teams. It's been a pleasure watching Atletico play this season.

Is the next step believing you can repeat what you did last year? "We know what we did last year. We experienced some magical nights together with the Club and fans. We want a repeat of this, but there are great teams who have the same aspirations. We'll be up against a fantastic side who work hard and possess real quality. In their last four matches, Atletico have used 22-23 players but maintained the same performance levels; they're an excellent, well-drilled team. It'll be a complicated tie, but we'll go for it. The first 90 minutes await tomorrow, and a true Inter performance will be needed."

Atletico have changed in the past two years but, in the Champions League, have displayed the characteristics that have characterised them in the past. What are you expecting from them tomorrow? "It's difficult to predict what will happen. Atletico have mixed it up in the last two matches. Against Las Palmas, they were very aggressive and moved the ball much more. They are very good technically and have high-quality players. I can't be certain about anything, but we know we'll be up against a great team with a strong mentality, one which their coach transmits."

Could your advantage in Serie A lead you to rotate more for league matches? "Last season, we did well in the last three months, changing 8-9 players every three days. Back then, that was the best solution, but there are no certainties from now until the end. In our last eight matches, apart from when we were in Riyadh, we've had time to recover in the right way. Now, that will change because we'll be playing every 72 hours, making things more complicated. We found ourselves one point off the top 20 days ago but now have a nine-point advantage, so we know that things can change quickly. Therefore, we need to remain really focused. All our thoughts are on Atletico, and we need to take it game by game while hoping to have as few injuries as possible. I'll have to make difficult choices every match, but the lads have always shown great willingness."

Out of the games you've played before, is there one that the upcoming showdown against Atletico particularly resembles? "Porto spring to mind: they're also a very determined team and coached by one of my former teammates. It'll be a very difficult round of 16 tie where we'll have the ball in certain moments and Atletico will pass it around more in others. We'll need to manage the moments, but the lads are making great strides forward."

What do you think about Atletico's evolution? "Simeone is an excellent coach. I know how difficult it is to stay at a club for many years; I experienced this at Lazio and hope this will also be the case here, but we're always judged on results. Simeone has transmitted charisma and character to the team, but they also play good football and attack with a lot of men."

Would you like to become Inter's version of Simeone or is that impossible in Italy? "I think it's difficult; I came to understand that during my time at Lazio and now here, too. Opinions change very quickly, so you can't think too much and need to work hard. This group of lads, who train with a smile on their faces, have done ever so well in the past six months, but the three that remain are the most important. They'll be decisive when it comes to the Champions League and Serie A."

Inter have better numbers than Atletico but perhaps aren't the favourites. "Atletico have great players with a lot of experience: it'll be a great showdown between two teams that want to dominate matches and play good football. In the last two years, we've seen how certain incidents can be decisive, as was the case against Liverpool and Manchester City. A quarter-final spot is up for grabs."

Twelve players from Lazio's 1999/00 squad became coaches: what influence did Sven-Goran Eriksson have? "Personally, Sven influenced me in terms of how he interacted with us players. He was an excellent coach and person who had tactical ideas that allowed him to win in Italy and abroad. Many coaches have emerged from that team and are doing well, so he certainly had an influence."

Will Inter's lead in the league help in the Champions League? "No, it'll only help in the league, but we must only focus on ourselves. A lot of matches remain and plenty of points are still on offer. We were a point behind on 20 January and now have a decent cushion, but it's all going very quickly. We need to stay focused, even when we sleep. The danger for us right now is Atletico, who I don't need to introduce. They'll be a great side to face, and the real Inter will be needed."

What is your secret to thriving here at Inter? "I like the fact that there's this climate of unity between the players, club, staff and fans. The atmosphere at San Siro is the aspect I find the most gratifying, but we're judged on a daily basis and things can change quickly. We need to work in the best way possible and transmit our footballing ideas to the lads."

Is your only doubt whether Dumfries or Darmian will start? Going forward, will you make your assessments based on your advantage in the league? "We don't focus on two matches at a time; all our thoughts are on Atletico tomorrow. Everyone who trained today is fine and all 20 want to play, so I'll have to decide. Acerbi, Cuadrado and Sensi are missing, and they're all important players. We'll train again tomorrow morning, and then I'll choose my starting line-up."

Can Inter still improve? "There's always room for improvement. We analyse every match with the lads and draw up ideas. Beyond victories, you need to evaluate things attentively and in the right way, thus gaining important insights."

Marcus and Lautaro are doing some fantastic things. What does Alexis Sanchez need to work on? "After the match against Salernitana, I said that Thuram and Lautaro are playing more and I'm happy with them, but I'm also happy with Arnautovic and Sanchez, who are proactive and working really well. When I've called on them, they've done really well and also scored important goals. They need to keep it up and, given that we'll have a match every three days, will be getting even more playing time. They've already made a vital contribution and had an excellent six months so far."

Atletico are a different side compared to the past. In order to compete in Europe, do coaches need to change their footballing ideas? "Every coach has their own ideas. Cholo is a coach who I have always looked up to with great interest; I respect him a lot. I've seen Atletico implement ultra-offensive pressing and move the ball around well, with their defenders also contributing in attack. I can't tell you what tomorrow's game will be like, but it's an important one for both clubs. Atletico are playing excellent football and are up against the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, which isn't easy."

You were outsiders in last season's competition, whereas some people consider you as one of the favourites this time around. Will this have an impact? "It may be the logical consequence of the results we've picked up so far, but we need to remain focused and carry on doing what we've done in the first six months. Then, we'll see. We have certainties and are playing well, but, from now until the end, we need to keep pushing forward as best we can, even if tomorrow will be a very tough test."

What is the difference between group stage matches and games in the knockouts? "We've known for a while that Atletico will be our opponents, so we've had more time to study them. Compared to our group stage matches, we've had two and a half months to look at them. We've seen that they're an intense, hard-working side who possess quality. They have strength in depth and players who can play in more than one position. Aside from a few absences, Diego can select a very strong starting line-up."