According to reports, Inter’s advancement to the Champions League semifinals has sparked a wave of joy and pride among its fans. In Italy, they are considered the best team at this stage.

Gazzetta wrote: With Real Madrid eliminated, Inter can compete with any team, and no team in the Champions League semifinals has a player like Lautaro Martinez.

Now, Inter is on the verge of glory. Only three games away from winning the Champions League, three steps to greatness. The upcoming opponents—Barcelona, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain—are strong and powerful teams, but not invincible or clearly superior to Inter. At least their superiority is not decisive. The Nerazzurri will compete shoulder-to-shoulder with these teams for the European title—a matter that depends on opinions and details.

There is no more news of star-studded Real Madrid, a dream team that was always the main contender for the Champions League and seemed almost unbeatable in these competitions. Arsenal eliminated them, and in a decisive manner. Also, Liverpool, the king of the Premier League, the richest league in the world, and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City with Erling Haaland, which is having its worst season, have long been out of the competition. After eliminating Bayern Munich—a team that, despite the absence of key players, remains a formidable opponent—Inter has shown it can achieve any goal.

Now, which team is next?

Inter’s next opponent is Barcelona—perhaps the worst team they could face at this stage (though the other half of the draw, which included Real, Liverpool, and City, seemed tougher). Barcelona brings back amazing memories for Inter fans: in the treble season (2010), José Mourinho’s team faced the Catalans, who at the time seemed truly invincible, with Lionel Messi at his peak. But this time, Barcelona neither seems nor is invincible.

They have brilliant talents like Lamine Yamal, perhaps the brightest talent in world football; a world-class striker like Robert Lewandowski; and players with class and creativity all over the pitch. But their defense is not impenetrable and always gives opponents chances. Overall, they too should be worried about Inter’s quality: impeccable organization, defensive solidity (which was severely tested against Bayern), and the stars Inter boasts, from Lautaro to Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Marcus Thuram, Federico Dimarco, Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolò Barella, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Respecting an opponent like Barcelona is right, but rivals also have many reasons to fear Inter.

Resistance at the Allianz Arena

Only a fool would think that the victory in Munich, with the absence of key Bayern players (Manuel Neuer, Dayot Upamecano, and especially Jamal Musiala), neutralized or diminished the danger of the return leg at the San Siro. The Germans are still technically very strong, with world-class players and a history that shows its weight in such crucial stages.

That’s why, at the start of the second half, they scored by capitalizing on a rare lapse from Inter (one of the few mistakes this team makes) and created a wave of concern among Inter fans. At that moment, doubts and fears crept in, and perhaps some older fans remembered the bitter comeback of 1988 in the UEFA Cup, a nightmare that, after 37 years, is still alive: a 2-0 win in Germany and a deadly 3-1 defeat at San Siro, when away goals counted more. But it was at this moment that not only Inter’s strength but also the team’s awareness of its capabilities became clear. Harry Kane’s goal could have shaken the Nerazzurri, but instead, it spurred them to regain control of the game and turn the result around, though they suffered greatly in the final minutes after the 2-2 equalizer, which was somewhat accidental.

No, this is no coincidence

This is the second time in three years that Inter has reached the Champions League semifinals, and in 2023, they even made it to the final. This consistency reflects the strength of a group built by Inter’s management, especially Beppe Marotta, who even managed the club’s ownership change during this period. Also undeniable is Simone Inzaghi’s skill in creating a competitive team at the highest levels, both in Italy and in Europe.

A great club, a great coach, and of course great players. We often get fascinated by stars from other leagues, and there are certainly extraordinary players there, but sometimes we underestimate the value of players we see every day. Look at Lautaro: Are there really many strikers in the world better than him? A player who is both a scorer and a leader, decisive on the pitch and a complete team player off it?

Source: Gazzetta dello Sport