Feyenoord-Inter: Simone Inzaghi counts the absentees, but there is one certainty

Simone Inzaghi ready for Feyenoord-Inter

Already in the round of 16 thanks to direct qualification, achieved by finishing among the top eight in the 'League Phase' of the Champions League, Inter returns to the field in Europe’s top competition to face Feyenoord, which defeated the other Meneghina team, AC Milan, in the playoff thanks to the 1-0 first leg in Rotterdam and the 1-1 draw in the return at the San Siro. The first leg will be played at the home of the Dutch, with kickoff at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Simone Inzaghi, the Nerazzurri coach, è grappling with a series of injuries that will force him to make a virtue out of necessity, but one certainty there is: it is goalkeeper Josep Martinez, who has performed well in the two league games played in place of Sommer and will be between the posts again in the Champions League as well: "Yann has done a great job to get back and is available, but on Wednesday; Martinez" will play, Inzaghi announced in a press conference.

On the other hand, Carlos Augusto, Matteo Darmian, Nicola Zalewski and, above all, Federico Dimarco will not be in the match: absences that force the Piacenza coach to revise plans on the left lane: "We will see for a moment, maybe Bastoni will give us a hand as a fifth midfield player – explained Inzaghi -. However, in the defensive phase he would go and join the defenders, becoming the fourth in the backline".

Despite the fact that Feyenoord finished the first phase in 19th place and are not having an exciting season in the league (è fourth at -16 from leading Ajax, after 24 days in the Eredivisie), Simone Inzaghi wants to avoid too much tension in Wednesday’s match: "They have come back from three goals down to Manchester City and beat Milan – he said. We should not make the mistake of underestimating them".