Nobody has won more European Cups (six), or more Champions (seven) than him Madrid, which in this is bilingual. Statistically, his is one in five editions. So you know the syllabus by heart. Like Carlo Ancelotti, the only coach in history who has led eight teams in the competition with that “soft hand” that he boasts. AND only Messi equals Benzema as a footballer who has scored in more editions of the luxury tournament (16, since the 2005-2006 campaign). The Frenchman is one goal away from surpassing Raúl as the fourth historical scorer and is also in the top 8 of assistants. So starting with a 'major', Inter, three times champions, does not seem to intimidate the white team. More this season, in which the Milanese squad has suffered a strong depreciation due to the pandemic (follow the game live on As.com).
Inter lost 102 million in the 2019-2020 season, its debt grew to 1,000 and the Chinese group Suning, owner of the entity, put the scissors mercilessly. In view of the cuts Antonio Conte, the coach who made him champion eleven years later, got off the ship, and two of the team's great stars were sold: Lukaku (115 million) and Achraf (60). The Belgian had signed the two best seasons of his career (34 and 30 goals). The Spanish-Moroccan had been the sensation of the championship (seven goals and eleven assists). He has also lost Eriksen, whose return to football, after his collapse in the Eurocup, is uncertain.
The signings
The refills are not the same size. They have arrived Dzeko, with 35 years and far from his splendor; Dumfries, the very long Dutch winger who made his mark in the Euro; Calahanoglu, who did not renew for Milan, and the Tucu Correa, ex-Sevilla player and express request of Simone Inzaghi, who directed him at Lazio. Substitute in all three games, the Argentine has already scored two goals. In short, what Inter has won in the box (161 million) they have lost on the field.
Inzaghi, who has developed his entire coaching career at Lazio (the opportunity to lead the first team after having traveled all the lower categories came to him due to the sudden resignation of Marcelo Bielsa), has played little. He maintains the 3-5-2 of Conte that he himself used in Lazio and has not heard a reproach about the lack of reinforcements or the veteran of the team: “They have given me a very strong squad.” Eleven of its players are over 30 years old, including such illustrious Handanovic, Dzeko, Vidal, Perisic and Alexis Sánchez. This one just came out of an injury. His last game was on July 3, in the Copa América. Today he will be on the bench.
Simone Inzaghi, during the last Inter training session.
AFP
The great internal danger is in Lautaro Martínez, author of 40 goals in the last two seasons. He spent two weeks injured in August and missed the start of the league, but has scored in the last two games. He will form an attacking partner with Dzeko. For the match Inzaghi loses Sensi, who ended up injured last Sunday's match against Sampdoria, and the international center-back Bastoni, who could not be in Genoa, is doubtful, although it is believed that he will play today. Dimarco may be the big news.
Asensio or Isco
Opposite will have a Madrid happy with its attack and restless with its defense. Ancelotti duplicates Zidane's scoring start last season, but his team has already conceded six goals in just four games. There he recovers Alaba, although he has hardly trained normally in recent days. He could start as a left back.
On the other hand, Bale has been broken for at least a month, although the loss does not sound like a setback because it will allow Ancelotti to repeat with Hazard, Benzema and Vinicius in a kind of 4-2-3-1 that gives the Belgian his ideal position as a playmaker. His improvement is, at the moment, almost negligible. AND The Champions League has not been his favorite competition either: nine goals in eleven years. His attack partners, on the other hand, are unleashed. Vinicius has scored four goals with ten shots and Benzema is the best in Europe in the sum of goals and assists (nine), ahead of Haaland. In the center of the field, Ancelotti suggested the rest of Modric, to which it tries to dose. Asensio and Isco are the candidates for the position.
Hazard, Jovic, Vinicius, Militao and Modric, in the session at San Siro.
Realmadrid.com
History gives a perfect draw in the Champions League, with five wins per head, one tied and the same number of goals (13) for and against. Inter conquered the only final between the two (1964), but Madrid dominate the playoffs (2-1) and won both games in the group stage last season. It will be, in any case, a quote from legends. San Siro is celebrating.