Winning, but also counting on others.
Inter Milan, who are doing better after a disastrous debut in the Champions League, can still qualify for the 8th by beating Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday (9:00 p.m.), but that will also depend on the result of Real Madrid-Mönchengladbach.
Since their dark evening against Real (0-2), already in San Siro two weeks ago, the Nerazzurri have found certainties in the game, thanks to a more compact midfielder.
But will that be enough to make up for lost time?
"We are still talking about the very high level, I can not imagine a team like Real Madrid going down the field to draw a draw, especially since it can also be eliminated"
Antonio Conte
Because even if they beat the Ukrainians, themselves guaranteed to pass in case of victory, Antonio Conte and his troops will be eliminated if Real Madrid and Mönchengadbach draw at the same time.
From there to dread a scenario where the Spaniards and Germans would find common ground if things were going in their direction in San Siro?
"We are still talking about the very high level, I can not imagine a team like Real Madrid going down the field to draw a draw, especially since it can also be eliminated", evacuated the Milanese coach Antonio on Saturday. Tale when Italian television evoked such a scenario.
"We can only think of ourselves", assures the indoor coach, determined not to stop like last season in the group stage with this team with a workforce cut out for C1.
Especially since his Inter, who was more illustrated at the start of the season by his ability to react than by his ability to impose his game, is finally starting to take shape.
Missing the shock against Real Madrid, like Arturo Vidal expelled after half an hour for disputes after losing his nerves, the Lombard team has since chained three solid matches, against Sassuolo ( 3-0) and Bologna (3-1) to climb to second place in the league and Mönchengladbach (2-3) in the Champions League, in a chopper match for its European future.
Conte has redesigned a more compact midfield at five, less playful but more difficult to move and offering more guarantees in front of a defense damaged at the start of the season.
Uncertainties in the middle
Vidal, the flagship rookie of the summer wanted by Conte to take his Inter to a new level, was forgiven for his red card with consistent performances, with more bite.
Nicolo Barella, the most used in the field, asserts himself in his role of technical relay.
The intermittent Marcelo Brozovic has returned to form after a forced break due to coronavirus.
And Conte found himself in Roberto Gagliardini, the one we least expected, a precious fighter.
The first two - Vidal and Barella - are however uncertain against Shakhtar due to physical glitches, which will perhaps force Conte to review his device once again.
Without Radja Nainggolan, also injured, the coach has two options to complete his environment if these absences are confirmed: Stefano Sensi, in the recovery phase after muscle problems, or Christian Eriksen, with whom the bridges seem however now cut and who is given starting in January, after only a year at Inter.
The former Tottenham midfielder, at the top player's salary (the club's second behind Romelu Lukaku according to the Italian press), is now subscribed to the sidelines.
The Danish international obviously no longer has his place in this commando team wanted by the coach, who only brought him into added time last weekend.
"Everything is fine with him, all the choices I make are for the good of Inter," said Conte.
“Choices” worth several million euros, those promised to qualifiers for the round of 16 (9.5 million last season), a stage that Inter has not reached since the 2011-2012 season.
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