2023-04-19 06:53:46
Inter Milan will defend this Wednesday at the San Siro the 0-2 win in Portugal to return to a Champions League semifinal that hasn’t reached it since 2010, when the Nerazzurri won the treble under the command of José Mourinho. In the first leg, Barella and Lukaku punished the Portuguese team, vulnerable in defense due to the losses of Bah and Otamendi and unable to show their offensive potential.
After passing as second classified in the Bayern Munich and Barcelona group, relegating the Catalans to the Europa League, and subduing Porto in the round of 16, Inter yearns to remember the nights of glory on the Old Continent and ratify the growth of Calcio in European football.
However, its good role in Europe is not reflected in Serie A, where it is in fifth position, 24 points behind Napoli, and has four defeats in the last five games.
Benfica dreams of the feat
Although it is immersed in its worst moment of the season by accumulating three consecutive defeats against Porto, Inter and Chaves, Benfica still hopes to turn the tie around. And he has reasons for it.
Until the first leg, the Portuguese team had 37 victories, added seven draws and signed 114 goals in 46 games. Some numbers that allow him to be the leader in the Portuguese league and consolidate him as one of the revelations of the season.
Despite the sale of Enzo Fernández to Chelsea in the winter transfer window, the team led by Roger Schmidt has players like Grimaldo, Joao Mário and Gonçalo Ramos in their ranks, the main assets they cling to to play the semifinals again more than 30 years later.
The clash between the Italians and the Portuguese serves as a reminder of the old European Cup, where both teams dominated European football in the 1960s and met in the 1965 final.
The meeting will have Spanish representation. The referee will be Carlos del Cerro Grande, while Martínez Munuera and Hernández Hernández will be in the VAR.
Probable lineups:
Inter: Onana, Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni, Dumfries, Barella, Çalhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco, Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez.
Benfica: Vlachodimos, Gilberto, António Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo, Florentino, Chiquinho, Aursnes, Rafa Silva, Joao Mário and Gonçalo Ramos.
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain).
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Stadium: San Siro.
TV: Movistar Champions League 1.
#Inter #trust #Benfica #seeks #ratify #pass #semifinals