Inzaghi: Inter want to ‘keep going’ against ‘technical’ Bayer Leverkusen | OneFootball

Simone Inzaghi claimed Inter have ‘prepared in the best possible way’ to keep their almost perfect Champions League record against Bayer Leverkusen in a game that will require his side to ‘interpret’ the moments ‘very well’, given the opponents’ ‘absolute quality’.

The Nerazzurri have picked up 13 points from their first five European games and are one of the only two teams in the competition who haven’t conceded a single goal, but their coach is aware that the German outfit’s technical level and ‘organised pressing’ will make it hard for them to keep a sixth consecutive clean sheet.

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 26: The players of FC Internazionale show appreciation to the fans at full-time following the team’s victory in the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between FC Internazionale Milano and RB Leipzig at Stadio San Siro on November 26, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Bayer Leverkusen sit three points behind second-placed Inter in the Champions League group phase but are still inside the top eight, which is why, with only three games remaining, their head-to-head will be particularly important to put them one step away from qualifying for the round-of-16 without going through the play-off.

Inzaghi: Inter prepared in the ‘best’ way to face ‘strong’ Leverkusen

“We know the importance of the match,” Inzaghi told Sky Sport Italia in an interview, as quoted by Fcinternews.

“We’re playing against a team who boast absolute quality, one that have won the last five games and only lost three matches in the past year and a half. They’re on a great run, and we’ve prepared in the best possible way.

“We’ll need to interpret the game well. Bayer are a very technical team, they play great football with strong and organised pressing, and they recover the ball very quickly when they lose it.

We need to be good in both phases of the game.”

“We all know the path we’re on. We want to keep going, knowing we’re facing a strong opponent for sure. We’ll need to be at our best.”

epa11678531 head Coach Simone Inzaghi (L) gestures next to his player Denzel Dumfries during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between BSC Young Boys and FC Inter, in Bern, Switzerland, 23 October 2024. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE

As already expected, Denzel Dumfries didn’t travel with Inter squad to Leverkusen because of a high fever, depriving Inzaghi of another defensive option.

“There will be some changes compared to Friday,” the Nerazzurri coach explained.

“We have some absences, like everyone does at this time, but I have complete trust in all the players.

“Dumfries had a fever of 38°C today, so he couldn’t train or come here. In defence, the absences of him, Benjamin Pavard, and Francesco Acerbi complicate things, but there’s complete confidence for everyone else.”