Bastoni: "We have desire, enthusiasm and confidence: we will give 200%" | OneFootball

On the eve of Inter vs. Barcelona: after the 3-3 draw in the first leg at the Lluís Companys, on Tuesday 6 May at 21:00 CEST, the Nerazzurri will take on Hansi Flick's side at San Siro in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg. Ahead of the match, Alessandro Bastoni spoke to journalists and answered their questions:

Do you think Inter will be ready to give 120%?

"We're potentially two games away from lifting the Champions League trophy, we will definitely give more than 110%, we will give 200%. We know that we're in a semi-final, it's not something that happens every year, we really want to play this match, there's a lot of enthusiasm and confidence in our ranks and we can't wait for tomorrow evening".

What did you learn from the first leg?

"We saw lots of videos before the first leg, but you can only truly understand a team when you play against them. We made some errors in our passing which could've led to more goalscoring opportunities, I think we can improve a lot and we will take our knowledge from the game last week to make life difficult for them". What is your heart telling you at the moment? "I couldn't be more proud of our campaign this year. We are playing a lot of games and we are always looking to be in the best shape and make our fans happy. We've not had a day off for a while because we're so committed to doing well, we've got to the end, we had a week of poor form but I can't thank the group enough for everything that they're doing". Do you have something to say to the fans who will be at San Siro tomorrow? "We will suffer at times tomorrow like in the first leg, so will need your support. It'll be 11 vs 11 on the pitch, so they will need to be as loud as possible. We will make sure to be as calm as possible to make the best decisions". You have the 14th highest revenue in all of Europe, do you think you can win the Champions League?

"We're two matches away from winning the Champions League, it's an objective at this point. We have the 14th highest revenue and this is proof of the work that the Coach and Club have done. I'm very proud, it's an honour to represent this club".

You, Pavard and Acerbi have made over 150 appearances in European competitions. Can experience be an advantage?

"There are two different letters: there's the youthfulness of their team and the experience of ours. We will make anything possible on a moral and physical level tomorrow. The first leg gave us an idea about Barcelona and we will try to make it difficult for them".

Are Inter now one of the big European sides?

"After all we've seen on the pitch, definitely. We've never hidden and we won't do so now. The pitch always tells the truth and it is now saying this, therefore, yes". Some analysts believe that Inter have put the Champions League ahead of the league: is that right?

"I've never heard the Coach say this, so no. We've played in two competitions for years, we're in the semi-final of the Champions League and in the fight in the league, it's not like this at all". You're a very united group. How important is it having a Captain like Lautaro? "I always say that, individually, we might not be one of the top four European teams, we will show our qualities as a group. Lauti is our leader on a moral and physical leader because we know his importance on the pitch. There's always tension ahead of these matches, but everyone's dream was to play matches like these. We will try to enjoy the moment and experience these emotions that will accompany us tomorrow evening".

What do you think of the referee for the match?

"Marciniak is someone we've had lots of times, I really like him as a referee, you can speak to him a lot but you also know that he has his stance. I don't think that there have been problems with the officiating in the league, the pitch always does the talking". Pavard has played in 50 Champions League matches, with a balance of 40 wins, six draws and four defeats. Do you think he has a different approach before these games? "I hope he can get to 42 wins because it would mean that we win the trophy. He has a lot of experience, I can't speak about him or myself as a player. We hope that he can give us a hand until the end".