A matchup that brings back fond memories but comes at perhaps the worst possible time of the season. In just a few days, Inter have gone from dreaming of the Treble – fueled by the idea of playing the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, as happened in the legendary 2010 season with José Mourinho at the helm – to the fear of coming away empty-handed.
Yes, because after the immense joy of qualifying against Bayern Munich, Simone Inzaghi’s team has been left with nothing but bitterness, probably the result of inevitable physical and mental exhaustion given the continuous demands of the schedule. Before the first leg against Barcelona, the Nerazzurri suffered three consecutive defeats: in the league, they lost to Bologna and Roma, first being caught up and then overtaken by Napoli – the Scudetto, with the Azzurri now three points ahead, has moved significantly further away – while in the Coppa Italia, they surrendered to their cousins Milan, who overwhelmed them in the semi-final second leg (0-3).
In short, it will not be easy to bounce back against a Barcelona side that proved once again last Saturday, in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid, that they are one of the best teams on the planet. Youth, talent, experience, quality: Hansi Flick’s powerhouse has it all, unlike Inter, who are still in contention on all fronts and on the verge of a treble (they have already won the Copa del Rey).
Barcelona-Inter, Lautaro surprisingly among the most foul-prone players
The Blaugrana’s offensive numbers speak for themselves: Inter will have to be flawless in their own half to limit the Catalans’ firepower, who, despite having to do without Lewandowski, can count on the immense quality of Yamal and Raphinha, ready with their dribbling to drive the Nerazzurri defense crazy.
The biggest problems for Inzaghi’s men could come from a playmaker like Pedri: Barella’s task, in this sense, will be really complicated. That’s why the Beneamata midfielder’s name could end up in the referee’s notebook: after all, he is a player who picks up yellow cards with some frequency, as demonstrated by the four he has collected so far in the league.
Lautaro Martinez is also worth considering for the QUOTA AMMONITI PLUS option: the Inter captain is, surprisingly, the third most foul-prone player in Serie A after Dumfries and Bastoni and, especially if things go wrong, he will certainly be one of the first to make his presence felt. Inter will use the counterattack to hurt Barça: the Catalans who are most at risk are Pedri, who is also called upon to do important defensive work, and Cubarsì, who could struggle to contain the competitive spirit of someone like Lautaro.