Alessandro Bastoni and Simone Inzaghi imagine stopping Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal of their Champions League semi-final second leg can be essential for Inter on Tuesday.
Yamal starred for Hansi Flick’s staff within the first leg, netting a surprising solo objective as Barcelona fought again to attract 3-3 on the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys final week.
Certainly, the Spaniard turned simply the second teenager to attain within the final 16, quarter-final and semi-final inside a single Champions League marketing campaign, after Kylian Mbappe for Monaco in 2016-17.
Yamal has netted six objectives within the competitors this season. Solely Erling Haaland (10 in 2019-20), Mbappe (six in 2016-17) and Raul (six in 1995-96) have scored extra in a single season earlier than turning 20.
His 44 pictures, 19 pictures on course and 78 dribbles are additionally probably the most Opta has on document since 2003-04 by a young person in a single Champions League marketing campaign.
And Bastoni, who confronted Yamal ultimately yr’s European Championships, expressed his admiration for the 17-year-old’s speedy development since.
“I had already confronted him with Spain, and he was not but at this degree,” Bastoni advised a press convention on Monday.
“I used to be impressed by the extent he reached, for his age and skill to create unimaginable issues on the pitch. I feel he’s among the many finest on this planet proper now.
“We’ll should double, possibly triple (mark) him like we did at instances within the first leg, however with out exaggerating, in any other case we might create too many areas. Barcelona isn’t just Yamal.”
The electrifying first leg, that was full of early drama and late chaos, has set the stage for an exhilarating second leg on the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday.
Certainly, their earlier match was the joint-highest rating attract a Champions League semi-final recreation, alongside Dyanmo Kyiv’s 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich within the first leg again in 1998-99.
It was simply the third time that Inter had didn’t win a Champions League recreation, having led by two or extra objectives.
Inter,, nonetheless, are unbeaten of their final 15 house Champions League matches (W12 D3), their finest unbeaten house streak in main European competitors since a run of 27 between 1980 and 1987, however Bastoni acknowledged the duty forward of him.
The 26-year-old Italian likened their second-leg encounter to “recreation seven within the NBA finals”.
“It’s 50-50, all open, and I feel it will likely be an identical recreation from the primary leg so I’m glad that we are going to play in entrance of our followers,” Bastoni mentioned.
“I can solely be happy with how far now we have come. We’re two video games away from successful the Champions League. It’s our objective, we actually wish to make a great impression, to make the individuals who comply with us blissful.
“We’re certain that our followers will give us a giant hand on the San Siro. We dwell for moments like this.”
Inter supervisor Inzaghi agreed with Bastoni’s feedback, revealing that their defensive technique would deal with nullifying the specter of Yamal.
“(Defending Yamal) may be very tough, we’ll should strive to not let him get the ball, however that’s not possible in trendy soccer,” Inzaghi mentioned.
“He’ll be carefully marked, he’ll be double-marked, and we’ll attempt to watch out. Nevertheless, as I mentioned within the first leg, having seen him dwell, he’s an enormous expertise: at his age, he’s actually harmful.
“In tough moments, they hand him the ball, and I used to be impressed by his fast considering. When he receives the ball, he already is aware of what to do subsequent.”
17 – At 17 years and 291 days, Lamine Yamal is the youngest participant to attain in a @ChampionsLeague semi-final, surpassing Kylian Mbappé in 2017 (18 years and 140 days).
Chief. pic.twitter.com/TOR97CXBx3
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 30, 2025
Inzaghi was additionally readily available to supply an damage replace on Benjamin Pavard and captain Lautaro Martinez.
Pavard has missed the final two video games with an ankle challenge, whereas Martinez went off at half-time in final week’s draw with Barca.
The Inter boss confirmed that each gamers have been each again in preliminary staff coaching, however was uncertain on their involvement in Tuesday’s match.
“We are going to determine on Lautaro (Martinez) and Pavard along with the medical workers and the gamers. They should inform me how they really feel,” Inzaghi mentioned.
“On Sunday, Pavard participated within the first a part of coaching and felt okay. Lautaro hasn’t skilled since Barcelona, so we’ll see right now the way it goes.”
