Inter Milan will double mark Lamine Yamal tomorrow night, according to boss Simone Inzaghi, as they look to minimise the damage the teenager could cause.
Yamal scored a brilliant goal and tormented Inter throughout the first leg in Catalonia which ended in a pulsating 3-3 draw.
And if Inter are to progress to a place in the Champions League final against either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal, Inzaghi knows they will have to keep the 17-year-old quiet at San Siro.
He said: “We have to try not to let him get the ball, but it’s impossible. Obviously, he’ll be double-marked, a player who will be closely watched, and we’ll try to pay attention to him.
“In person, he’s a tremendous talent; he’s truly dangerous and everyone gives him the ball. I was impressed by his quick thinking; he always knows what play to make.”
Non “solo” gol 😎#ForzaInter #UCL pic.twitter.com/xdiXoE98CN
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) May 5, 2025
Inter to wait and see on Martinez and Pavard
Inter’s chances of success will be enhanced greatly if captain and star striker Lautaro Martinez is passed fit after coming off in the first leg with a thigh strain.
The Argentine missed the weekend win over Verona but both he and defender Benjamin Pavard may return against Barca.
“We’ll decide tomorrow with the staff and the players,” added Inzaghi. “They’ll have to tell me how they feel. Pavard has good feelings, Lautaro hasn’t trained since the Barcelona match. Let’s see how he is today in training.”
Inter have had a wobble domestically and now trail Serie A leaders Napoli by three points with three games to play and Inzaghi knows his players will have to be at their maximum to get past Hansi Flick’s side.
“We know the importance of this match,” he said. “We’ll need a great game against a very strong team, which we’ve seen now up front first-hand. We’ll need an attentive and clear-headed Inter. The group believes in themselves, they want it and they are waiting eagerly for this match.”
