Inter will certainly have taken notes on Barcelona in view of the big appointment next Wednesday, for the first leg of the Champions League semifinals. The match against Real Madrid, beyond the result of the King’s Cup final and the great expenditure of energy caused by the dispute of additional times, provided very useful indications to Simone Inzaghi and his staff of collaborators. Starting from the assumption that the Nerazzurri are first called to resolve their uncertainties revealed especially on the occasion of the double defeat against Bologna and Milan. The first general consideration that is natural to do is that this Barcelona is a stronger and more aware team than Bayern Munich, eliminated in the quarterfinals. Hansi Flick has been able to recreate a game identity in line with tradition, made of automatisms that impress for the obsessiveness with which they are put into practice by the players who, of course, are the fulcrum of everything. Because the individual qualities are enormous in almost all the interpreters but amazes that, together with innate talents such as Cubarsì and Yamal, a boy like Gerard Martìn emerges naturally from Masìa, who is replacing a certain Baldé with a certain naturalness. This happens because every interpreter of the Blaugrana rose seems to have a football database, learned in the years of the youth sector and updated daily with a coach prepared as Flick, which allows you to take the field always knowing what to do and when to do it. Then there is Pedri and here the words would not be enough to summarize its size and centrality: he can do everything, point. In a divine way. Great density in the ball area and very clear ideas both in the possession and defensive phase. Barcelona, as usual, loves to have control of the game and loves to direct the game in the direction more congenial to him. This for Inter is not necessarily a problem, because the Inzaghi boys have shown on several occasions that they know how to adapt to every scenario, to every type of race, as the double comparison with Bayern also told us. However, what the Germans have not always managed to do with the same effectiveness as Barcelona is attacking with varieties: even without a total center forward like Lewandowski – still exceptional gunner at 35 years old and advanced director if necessary – that it is playing in amplitude or finding the space vertically for the Catalans does not seem to be a reason for embarrassment. Against Real Madrid, Flick’s choice to replace the Polish has obviously fallen on his natural substitute – Ferran Torres – decidedly less tip but better in the narrow and less readable spaces for a very good plant in marking like Francesco Acerbi. It is also precious to give more solutions, coming into the field, to two very fearful exteriors such as Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. This allowed the German to have one more player between the lines, Dani Olmo, for superior quality both in Gavi and in Fermo Lopez but perhaps a little less inclined to work in folding. A plan that produced its effects as long as the athletic condition supported Barcelona and the rides backwards were not a reason for concern, but which was wrecked in the second half when the teams stretched out and Real Madrid, with different interpreters and a different belief, has distorted the script. The feeling is that Flick will have to evaluate the best on which Pedine to focus in order not to risk, even with Inter, of suddenly losing the balances that pure ball carriers such as Pedri, De Jong and Dani Olmo cannot give you for ninety minutes. Speaking of amplitude, if a talented and high level football cannot be separated from individual duels – and in this both Yamal and Raphinha travel on monstrous seasonal statistics (14 goals and 22 assists on 2007, 30 and 23 the second) – also attention to the work of the low exteriors of Barça and at the mezzeli. Especially in the first phase of the game with Real, the Blaugrana worked very mainly on the Mancina lane, with Gerard Martìn, Pedri and Raphinha to build a chain that cut Rodrygo out and put under pressure the midfield of Madrid and Lucas Vasquez. On the opposite side, Koundé is a player for more adapted characteristics and led to push less, but this does not mean that MkhiTaryan and Barella, the two interiors on which Inzaghi presumably will aim, will be very solicited. With them, a not indifferent contribution will be needed by Carlos Augusto (more in the form of Dimarco) and get back, at least as a race in the running, a dumfries in acceptable conditions to be able to allow himself some scorcribes. It is highly likely that Barcelona will also make the game next Wednesday in Montjuic, but this does not mean that the opportunities to hurt Inter from building them. After the moment of great difficulty of the first half hour of the first half, Real Madrid began to insist on different concepts than the starting ones: less setting from behind – which must necessarily be of great precision and timing against a team such as Barcelona very good also in the incomplete – more vertical and long balloons, aggression and reactivity on the second balls. It cannot be excluded that Inzaghi can also focus on this to frighten Flick and will go very much from the form conditions of his attackers: the extraordinary Martinez will be requested in Lautaro, while on the partner the doubts are many and tied to the unknowns on Marcus Thuram. One who with his tears would be able to keep the Cubarsì-Inigo Martinez couple in constant alert as Vinicius and Mbappé have been able to do in the second half. Trying to translate all this into simpler words, the keys to get out of Barcelona with a good result and the possibility of playing their chances in the return to Milan will be mainly two: high rhythms and great intensity, that even an almost unbeatable team can suffer and that has been the key to the sensational ribal of the second half, and then a ferocious concentration. In the defensive phase, managing the pressure times and climbing times at the best will be essential to not offer too much field to the qualities of an opponent who, despite the usual philosophy of possession and dribble in the short time, does not make too many problems to verticalize and exploit the counterattack when there is a field. All updates in real time! Join the WhatsApp channel of Calciomercato.com: click here
