Tonight at 9pm Inter-Atletico Madrid LIVE on the pitch
Inter dives back into Europe, looking for new "magical nights" after last season's ride interrupted only by Manchester City in the last act.
The Nerazzurri, very well advanced in the championship, await Atletico Madrid at San Siro in the first leg of the round of 16, in a match full of amarcord but also full of difficulties for Lautaro Martinez and his teammates.
In fact, it will be the great return to the Meazza of Diego Simeone, who remained in the hearts of Inter fans despite only two seasons with the Nerazzurri at the end of the 90s, and was then left to leave for Lazio where, together with, among others, the current Inter coach Simone Inzaghi, he brought the scudetto in the Biancocelesti capital.
Now Cholo is a flag of Atletico, having been at the helm of the Colchoneros for 13 seasons, and above all he represents a decidedly difficult opponent for the Nerazzurri.
However, Inter does not want to be distracted by memories, on the contrary.
Because after the disappointment of the last Champions League final, Inzaghi's team also seems to have gained the awareness that they can still go a long way in Europe, also considering their progress in Serie A.
"Everyone wants to avoid Inter? Last year we experienced magical nights, with the club and our fantastic fans. And we would like to do it again. But we face a great team, we will play for it", Inzaghi's words in the classic press conference of the eve.
"It will be a beautiful match, the episode can change it. I think of the return against Liverpool two years ago, we were dominating and we got a sending-off. Or the final against City which could have had another epilogue."
This time there will be not only a former teammate, but also a friend for Inzaghi.
"It will be a pleasure to see Simeone again as an opponent. He was a great teammate, we always stayed in touch. He has become a great coach but it showed. It's a pleasure to see Atletico this year, they play excellent football. But the 'Atletico isn't just Simeone, it has top-level players, people who have been to World Cup finals and Champions League finals."
Woe to trust, therefore, also because it is no longer the only aggressive team of a few years ago.
"They have changed, they play differently, they dribble a lot more also because the players have great technique. They have improved their dribbling a lot", the analysis of the Inter coach.
Not only the pitfalls associated with a great opponent, however, because Inzaghi above all does not want lapses in concentration on his part.
"Are we among the favorites for the Champions League? It may be the logical consequence of what the team is expressing, but we must remain very focused on doing what we have done in these first six months, then it will be what it will be", added the coach interist.
"We've had six months in the best possible way, but the most important thing is these three that are missing. Everything is going very fast, we have to be concentrated even when we sleep: the dangers are around the corner and in this case it's Atletico, not I have to introduce it because we know what type of team it is."
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