Inter are playing the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but meanwhile maintains the second place. The Milan draw against Salernitana, in fact, it is a misstep that makes Inzaghi smile, whose defeat in La Spezia, on balance, did not lead to consequences of any kind: the Rossoneri remain minus 2 and they look to the point gained on Rome as their only consolation. This doesn't change the Nerazzurri's mood that much, but at least it gives an extra pinch of serenity in view of the evening in Oporto, decisive both for the European path which, most likely, due to Inzaghi's bench, hanging on the (far from simple) combination of Champions League-second place in the league.
Milan - Salernitana 1-1, Pioli bitter: "We are disappointed, we should have done much more"
A bitter draw from Milan, because the Salernitana of Sousa, on balance, did not lose the point snatched thanks to the goal by Dia (61'), sensationally left alone by the Rossoneri defense. Up to there the Devil was leading the match with a usual punch Giroud (45+1'), without however shining from a technical point of view, as if the post-London enthusiasm had run out of batteries, rather than recharging them. And so, after the equal grenade, the Italian champions were no longer able to recover the three points, ending up leaving two on the wet lawn of San Siro.
Pioli's attempts to give a jolt were useless (Giroud, Leao and Diaz out, Ibrahimovic, Origi and De Ketelaere in), because the flat line of Milan remained so, allowing Paulo Sousa to bring home a precious draw in salvation key, as well as the competitors for the Champions area to smile and breathe a big sigh of relief. “It wasn't a mental or physical decline – commented Pioli -. A team that takes the lead has to do more to win and instead we conceded goals from a lineout…After the draw the game became edgy and edgy, it was a missed opportunity. We had to do better and we are disappointed, we need to grow if we want to be a high-level team, the greats face every match as if it were decisive".
Porto – Inter (21pm, Canale 5 and Sky Sport)
For Inter instead it will be one night from inside or out, given that the quarter-finals are up for grabs against Porto di Conceiçao. It starts from1-0 in the first leg and therefore from a slight advantage for Inzaghi's team, but the defeat in La Spezia created a lot of discontent in the environment, putting the coach's future at risk again. The management got fed up with the ups and downs seen in season, especially in the challenges with the little ones, which makes tonight's match even more important: at stake is getting into the top 8 in Europe, a nice check for 20 million (excluding San Siro proceeds) and, almost certainly, the Inzaghi's bench. They will face a fierce Porto and determined to overturn the 1-0 draw on 22 February, also to continue the streak against the Italians, which in recent years has seen them qualify against Rome, Juventus and Lazio, as well as beating Milan in the group stage. Inter have the task of defeating the cabal and earning the quarter-finals: in clashes with teams of the same level, moreover, they have already shown that they know how to get along quite well, as seen with Barcelona, Milan (twice), Naples and Porto itself.
Inzaghi: "I'm not thinking about the criticisms, but only about eliminating Porto"
“It certainly is a very important match, perhaps the most important of the year” confirmed Inzaghi in the press conference -. We've already played in a final this year, played delicate inside and outside matches, but now we have the chance to enter the top eight in Europe. At San Siro we played the first half and won, but now there's the second half and we'll need maximum concentration. Criticisms, even heavy ones, have always been there, even last year. Now, on the eve of such an important match, I don't think about it and I don't respond to what has been said and written, I think that losing a match like the one in La Spezia can happen once in 500, it happened and we lick our wounds. Now though let's think of the Port, a difficult opponent to face in a very hot stadium”.
Conceiçao: "Inter full of champions, the defeat in La Spezia won't affect it in the slightest"
"Will be a balanced game, very difficult, against a team full of excellent players – thought Sergio Conceiçao -. We know our opponent, but above all we know what we are capable of, we want to be intense, good at pressing, aggressive and intelligent. I'm not the coach of Inter, but all defeats are heavy for a club used to winning like them. However, the Champions League matches are different, mentally the problems resulting from the championship knockout won't count. We're halfway through the match, we have 90 minutes to try to overturn the result, but we'll have to be smart to do so. Will be important not to go to the assault, be patient but with the right amount of aggression”.
Inter – Porto, the formations: Dzeko favorite over Lukaku, Skriniar towards the bench
Inzaghi knows he plays a lot, which is why he will focus on his loyalists including Skriniar, recovered after the injury (but he will probably be on the bench). The most important ballot concerns the attack, with only Lautaro sure of playing: he should be alongside him Edin Dzeko, even because Lukaku, penalty aside, certainly didn't leave his mark in La Spezia, but the decision will only be taken close to the match. The 3-5-2 for the nerazzurri he will thus see Onana in goal, Darmian, Acerbi and Bastoni in defense, Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan and Dimarco in midfield, Dzeko and Lautaro in attack. Conceiçao, without the suspended Otavio and the injured Joao Mario (namesake of the former Inter player, now at Benfica), will respond with a 4-3-3 with Diogo Costa between the posts, Manafà, Pepe, Marcano and Zaidu in the back department, Uribe, Grujic and Eustaquio in the midfield, Pepé, Taremi and Galeno in the offensive trident.
