Inzaghi thanks Simeone: ‘Intelligent Inter with Atleti’

Simone Inzaghi thanks Diego Simeone for the compliments and warns Inter must be ‘intelligent and organised’ against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

It kicks off at the Wanda Metropolitano at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.

The Nerazzurri have a 1-0 first leg advantage thanks to the Marko Arnautovic goal at San Siro, but the Austrian is out injured today along with Carlos Augusto, Juan Cuadrado and Stefano Sensi.

Inzaghi’s former Lazio teammate Diego ‘Cholo’ Simeone said in yesterday’s press conference that he is one of the best coaches in Europe.

“That was pleasing. Cholo was a great teammate, he is a wonderful person and I certainly don’t need to present his career,” Inzaghi told Amazon Prime Video Italia.

“We know that we are up against a strong team, with an extraordinary home record. It is going to be difficult and we must be intelligent and organised.

“Atletico know how to do everything, they can defend deep, move the ball around, use the central defenders to push forward, there are various different possibilities.

“This is an international team that knows how to play these games, as they have been with the same unit and coach for many years. We need to be solid.”

Inter are 16 points clear at the top of the Serie A table and have already won the Supercoppa Italiana, so does this allow them to put all their focus on the Champions League?

“We know the advantage that we have and that we earned in Serie A, but we have to leave that to one side. We’ve got to take it one game at a time, that is what we have done so far.”

Inter have not won away to a Spanish side in the Champions League since their 5-1 result at Valencia in October 2004.