Simone Inzaghi and his Inter team are anticipating a challenging match against Benfica, who have only suffered three defeats in all competitions this season
Simone Inzaghi is aware that Inter will need to approach their upcoming Champions League quarter-final against Benfica with both tactical intelligence and emotional commitment. Inter will visit Lisbon for the first leg of the match against the Primeira Liga leaders on Tuesday.
Inter faces a challenging task against Benfica in the Champions League quarter-finals as the hosts, managed by Roger Schmidt, are unbeaten in Europe this season and have lost only thrice in all competitions.
However, Simone Inzaghi is confident that his team can win if they play smartly. Especially considering their inconsistent form in the domestic league.
Inzaghi acknowledges the importance of Benfica clash
“We know the importance of this match,” Simone Inzaghi said at Monday’s pre-match press conference. “We have had a great, difficult journey [to get here]. They are a quality opponent. It won’t be easy.
“It will be a game in which we alternate between attack and defense. Benfica are not obsessed with pressing. We will have to use our heads and our hearts.
“They are a quality team, with technically gifted players. They occupy the spaces well, and they run a lot. We’ll have to be good at playing our game.
“They have lost two games this season. They are a team with absolute value. But up against them, there will be an Inter team who know what they want and what they have to do.”
Inter come into the match on the back of a six-game winless streak, which started with the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Porto.
This run of form, which includes a draw against Salernitana last Friday, has seen Inzaghi’s men to drop to fifth in Serie A and puts their participation in next season’s top-tier European competition in jeopardy.
