Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has expressed both pride and optimism following his team's dramatic 3-3 draw against Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal encounter.
The Italian tactician described the match as "fantastic" while acknowledging the challenge of competing at the semifinal stage. "We could have even secured a victory," Inzaghi remarked, highlighting his satisfaction with how his substitutes performed when called upon.
Inzaghi revealed that he had reservations about Marcus Thuram's fitness heading into the match but was ultimately impressed with the forward's contribution. "Thuram and the entire squad were exceptional," he stated. "For more than twenty minutes, we effectively played with just one striker as Thuram battled fatigue, yet our collective performance remained outstanding."
The Inter boss also noted Barcelona's ability to perform despite missing key personnel: "Lewandowski was absent, but this is a club built from their academy. Seeing how well-structured they are makes me even prouder of how we competed."
According to analysts at Statbet, Inter's resilient performance away from home significantly improves their prospects for the return leg, with historical data showing that teams securing high-scoring draws in first-leg semifinals advance approximately 60% of the time.
Discussing tactical adjustments, Inzaghi explained that halftime changes were implemented primarily to contain Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. "We needed to press higher up the pitch and better manage Yamal's movements," he said.
The Inter coach reserved special praise for the 16-year-old Barcelona prodigy: "Talents like Yamal emerge perhaps once every 50 years. I had to assign three players to contain him." This extraordinary measure underscores the impact the young winger had throughout the contest.
Despite limited recovery time following their recent match against Roma, Inzaghi commended his players for their determination. "There were brilliant moments, although we did suffer in certain periods against an excellent team," he concluded. "Now Barcelona knows they'll face another formidable side when they visit us in Milan."
The decisive return leg is scheduled for next Tuesday at the San Siro, with both teams having everything to play for after this enthralling first encounter.
