Champions League Preview: What Atletico Madrid can expect from Inter

We’ve teamed up with the good people at Football Italia to give you the inside view on what to expect from Atletico Madrid’s opponents Inter this week. Here’s how Simone Inzaghi will look to best former teammate Diego Simeone.

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter are looking to repeat their run to the Champions League final but their first knockout test comes against a reinvigorated Atletico Madrid.

The Nerazzurri experienced ‘magical nights’ on the European stage last season, as highlighted by the coach in his pre-match press conference, reaching the Champions League final in Istanbul, where they painfully fell to Manchester City in a tight 1-0 defeat.

Now, Inter are looking to go one step further. Inzaghi carefully managed his squad in the group stage, possibly too much so according to some, and his rotations ultimately saw the team finish second behind Real Sociedad, winning just three of their six games.

Where the Nerazzurri have truly shined this season is in Serie A, where they’ve managed to secure a nine-point lead over second place Juventus after 24 games, still holding a game in hand. They’ve suffered defeat just once this campaign, falling to Sassuolo 2-1 back in September.

The Milanese club’s only other loss this term came in the Coppa Italia Round of 16, where they fell to Thiago Motta’s Bologna 2-1 after extra time. Otherwise, the team have been near flawless, winning the Supercoppa Italiana after victories over Lazio and Napoli.

Two players in particular have been fundamental to Inter’s success this season – Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram. The former has clearly proven himself to be one of the top strikers on the European stage, having scored 20 goals in 22 league matches over the last six months.

Partnering the Argentine star is Thuram, who arrived on a free transfer last summer. The Frenchman instantly formed a strong partnership with the Nerazzurri captain and has been no slouch in front of goal himself, scoring 10 and providing 10 across 24 Serie A games.

Inzaghi almost always sets Inter up in a fluid 3-5-2 system, focusing build-up play through the centre of the pitch with Henrik Mkhitaryan and Hakan Calhanoglu. Defensively, the team often utilise a diagonal line of three, forcing opponents to switch play or start a new action, whilst offensively the Nerazzurri either focus on fast-moving plays with runners or punishing counterattacks.

The Italian coach is also incredibly perceptive when it comes to his substitutions, often making a handful of changes on the 60th and 75th minute marks. He is not afraid to bring off both Lautaro and Thuram in the same moment, switching up the attack with Marko Arnautovic and Alexis Sanchez.

Davide Frattesi, Carlos Augusto and Davy Klaassen will all likely come off the bench for the Nerazzurri as well, offering different solutions across the middle of the pitch. This flexibility gives Inter multiple routes for victory, affording them a backup plan should things take a downward turn.

Another element that always comes with Inter is their characteristic craziness; the club have a history of unpredictability, chaos and dramatic finishes, something that always risks occurring despite their recent form.

Inter face a tough task in their Champions League Round of 16 tie with Atletico, but victory over Diego Simeone’s side could be an important sign in their quest for European glory.

Tags Atletico Madrid Champions League Inter
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