Inter coach Inzaghi ready to rely on redeemed match-winner Arnautovic

Arnautovic won the last 16, first leg clash at the San Siro after replacing injured Marcus Thuram at half-time, and he is set for more minutes as his French teammate recovers and matches come thick and fast. The 34-year-old, who has had a tough season, had frustrated home fans with a series of wasted opportunities including a dreadful miss just after the hour mark which had supporters' heads in their hands.

"He will be really valuable to us as he has been up to now. He and Alexis Sanchez are doing well for how they work, how they train and how they are with teammates," Inzaghi told reporters. "He came into the match really well, we were disappointed for the chances he missed but strikers should worry when they're not getting any opportunities.

"I was a striker, I had periods in which I didn't have any chances and I was always more worried than when I did have them and I either had a great goalkeeper in front of me or I missed the target." Inzaghi said that he hoped to lose Thuram only "for a short period of time" before he has tests on the thigh injury which ended his match.

Diego Simeone said that he is positive for next month's return leg in Madrid despite his team not having a single shot on target on Tuesday. "We didn't have many chances unlike recent games. We controlled the match for long periods, but in the second half they created more chances," he said.

"I'm optimistic, we lost today but we still have the home leg to play. We know what we'll come up against, and how they play as we've just played them. Hopefully we'll be able to take advantage."

 

February 20, 2024