The atmosphere is charged with tension as the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal between Inter Milan and Barcelona approaches at San Siro.
The first leg proved that both teams can cause problems when attacking, so there was evidence of real defensive issues for both clubs, most prominently for the Catalan side.
The Catalans will seek to make up a narrow deficit, meanwhile, they will be faced with the obstacle of an Inter side buoyed by their home fans and full of buzz and tactical continuity under the guidance of head coach Simone Inzaghi.
To make things more concerning for the Catalans, Inter Milan received a significant boost ahead of the matchup as Lautaro Martinez, their 21-goal scoring striker from Argentina, who picked up an injury in the first leg earlier this month, has made a miraculous recovery, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Originally thought to be set to miss this pivotal fixture, Martinez is back in full training and has completed shooting and sprinting runs pain-free.
Martinez and Thuram could take advantage of Barcelona’s leaky defense in the lead-up to this game, which has struggled to maintain leads in matches recently.
Martinez’s return to training was clear, for Martinez had not missed a step in Inzaghi’s attacking plans train and appeared fit enough to start.
Inter will, however, be without defender Benjamin Pavard, who is sidelined with an ankle injury, meaning Di Marco will replace him in a bid to keep the defensive shape that held strong in the first leg.
Inzaghi is expected to name the same team, hoping familiarity will help them outsmart Barcelona again.
Martinez’s return could be a pivotal factor in the tie as Inter will rely on his ability in what is a highly adverse environment in the Champions League.
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