Pavard’s Timely Return
Inzaghi’s Surprising Option to Stop Yamal
Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi has a special plan to strengthen his defense for the crucial Champions League second-leg match against Barcelona.
Inter Milan, currently in a tight race with Napoli for the Serie A title, will face Hellas Verona on Saturday. However, Inzaghi is already focused on the second leg against Barcelona at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. Napoli leads Serie A by three points, putting pressure on Inter to close the gap.
Due to player fatigue after the intense first leg in Montjuïc, Inzaghi plans major rotations against Verona. However, he has a potential surprise for the Barcelona match: the return of French defender Benjamin Pavard, who missed the first leg due to an ankle injury.
Italian media report that Inzaghi hopes Pavard will be fit in time to strengthen Inter’s defense after conceding three goals in the first leg.
Pavard, who scored a crucial goal against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, could play as a center-back or left-back to counter Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal. His presence could help neutralize Barcelona’s attacks and improve Inter’s set-piece efficiency. If Pavard returns, Yann Bisseck may be dropped, while Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij retain their starting spots.
Against Verona, Inzaghi will rotate the midfield, with Kristjan Asllani, Davide Frattesi, and Piotr Zielinski replacing the suspended Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Nicolò Barella, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. In attack, Lautaro Martínez is injured, but Marko Arnautović, Joaquín Correa, or Mehdi Taremi could start.
Despite Inter’s Coppa Italia elimination against AC Milan, Inzaghi remains determined to win both Serie A and the Champions League. He believes Inter’s second-string team can beat bottom-placed Verona, allowing full focus on the decisive Barcelona clash. Pavard’s return could be Inter’s trump card in this high-stakes encounter.