Bastoni: Inter ‘adrenaline’ but Champions League semifinalists ‘individually’ stronger | OneFootball

Alessandro Bastoni feels Champions League semifinalists are ‘individually stronger’ than Inter, but insists the Nerazzurri can beat any opponent ‘if we defend as a team.’

Inter have qualified for the Champions League semifinals for the second time in three seasons, beating Bayern Munich with a 4-3 aggregate win in the quarter-finals.

Nerazzurri star Bastoni released an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport describing his emotions after the second-leg game on Wednesday and much more.

“The adrenaline was through the roof, but these sleepless nights go by willingly,” the defender said.

“There wasn’t much to dream about. The reality is already beautiful enough.

“It was one of the top five nights I’ve experienced with Inter. Before the game, everyone thought Bayern would qualify easily; they considered them favourites, but knocking them out means we are a great team.

“I always believed we’d make it. We had a fire to prove to the world we didn’t get there by chance. We stepped on the pitch with this mindset, fully aware that we could qualify.

“Nobody pressed us like Bayern in recent years, but we came out strong in both legs, causing problems for an extraordinary team,” he continued.

“There’s a desire to suffer together, including the forwards, and at the same time we play good football.”

Bastoni already lost a Champions League Final against Manchester City in 2023 and feels that the desire for redemption gave him and the rest of the team a massive boost.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 02: Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale warms up prior to the Coppa Italia Semi Final match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 02, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Yes. Our careers are not endless, and who knows how many chances we’ll have to play another Champions League semifinal. It’s a chance we have to take,” he said.

“We want to feel the Istanbul emotions again, this time on the other side. We’ll do anything we can to make it happen. People are starting to take this for granted, but they shouldn’t. It’s not common to see an Italian team go this far. We’ve been working nonstop for four years. A 20-day summer break doesn’t really count as vacation.”

Inter will face Barcelona in the Champions League semis, while Arsenal and PSG will meet on the opposite side of the bracket.

“Individually, we are not as strong as the other three semifinalists, but as a team, we can beat any of them,” assured Bastoni.

“It works the other way around too. If we stop working together, we risk sinking.”

Inter already won the treble in 2010 under José Mourinho, and Bastoni sees a common feature between that team and this Inter side.

“What unites us is the willingness to suffer. I remember Samuel Eto’o tracking back as a full-back. Now Thuram and Lautaro do the same thing,” he argued.

“We have the same ability to come together in tough moments and strike at the right time.”

How is he preparing to face Barcelona star Lamine Yamal?

“I don’t know because the last time at the Euros it didn’t go so well. Barcelona have a clear identity, they may leave some space, but we have to defend as a team against them,” Bastoni replied.

MUNICH, GERMANY – APRIL 08: Michael Olise of Bayern Munich is challenged by Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano at Fussball Arena Muenchen on April 08, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

“We’ve already faced top-class wingers. Olise and Sané with Bayern and Arsenal during the league phase. We need 100% focus and 100% fitness if we want to cause them problems.

“Potentially, we could finish second in all three competitions, but at the start of the season, we had signed up to be table leaders and advance to the Coppa Italia and Champions League semifinals. We feel the fatigue, but as we said at the start of the year, we want to go for everything.”

Antonio Conte’s Napoli remain their only opponents in Serie A, sitting second in the table, three points behind the Nerazzurri. Napoli do not have any other competition to play for, so they may see Inter’s packed schedule as a slight advantage.

“You think he [Conte] was celebrating in Piazza Duomo?” Bastoni said, smiling.

“I’m joking, I owe a lot to Conte. He does what he has to, even in how he communicates. Perhaps, he’s trying to remain under the radar to put us under pressure, but we are calm about it. Our strength is focusing on ourselves, even when we receive criticism. We want to win the Scudetto, but we know that Napoli will fight until the end, so we can’t afford to drop points.”

Lastly, the Italian defender praised his coach, Simone Inzaghi.

“He really is one of us. When you see him come to the pitch yelling, you see strong signals that help us. He shows it every day in training too. His passion and grit are contagious. When we are tired or frustrated, he throws in a joke that lightens the mood.”