Football – Barcelona beat arch-rivals Real Madrid to win the Copa del Rey at the weekend, which will provide extra motivation rather than being a distraction when they face Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final, manager Hansi Flick said yesterday.
Flick’s side, who top LaLiga, completed the first part of their treble bid in a dramatic extra-time 3-2 win on Saturday, and the manager was asked if he needs to curb the players’ euphoria ahead of today’s first leg at home to the Italians.
“No, what I can see is that everyone is focused on this match, that everyone knows how important it is to be able to go to the Champions League final,” Flick told reporters.
“Also this win against Real is very important for the positive vibes, and it could push you also. We know that we have to work hard to reach the final. It’s a dream for everyone to be here, we have to stay focused.
“Inter have a team where some players are at an age where maybe it’s the last opportunity to reach a final and they will give 100 per cent.”
After an enthralling 120 minutes against Real, Flick is waiting to see how his players react in training.
“We’ll see tomorrow, today is not the day to speak about the starting 11, tomorrow we will see what happens and how they recover,” Flick said.
“Also, Inter played on Sunday and they have less hours of recovery but it’s a Champions League semi-final and everyone wants to give 100 per cent.”
Flick did confirm that Wojciech Szczesny will remain his first-choice keeper in the Champions League despite the return of long-term injury absentee Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Inter’s treble bid ended last week when they exited the Coppa Italia semi-finals at the hands of AC Milan, and two consecutive league losses allowed Napoli to take top spot in Serie A and open up a gap of three points.
Flick, however, will not be changing his approach against a side who have lost three matches in a row.
“The Champions League is also for Inter a big chance to win a title, they are two matches away from the final, the same as we are,” Flick said.
“It doesn’t matter about the matches in the past. I don’t think about that because it’s not my job, I’m focused on my team.”
Meanwhile, Inter Milan’s coach Simone Inzaghi said recent poor form does not erase the progress they have made over the last four years.
Inter dropped to second in Serie A last weekend following consecutive losses to Bologna and AS Roma either side of their defeat by rivals AC Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final that ended their treble hopes.
“The last week does not erase the work done in four years,” Inzaghi, in charge of Inter since 2021, told a Press conference yesterday.
“In the last three games we had to do better, but after four years we are here competing for all the objectives, when someone had said that it would be difficult to get into the top four in Italy.”
For Inter, who will compete in the Club World Cup after the season ends, the tie against Barcelona provides an opportunity to forget last week’s woes.
“We come from a bad week, but we can do and we have to do better,” Inzaghi said.
“We’re excited about the game we’re going to play tomorrow against probably the best team in the world, the most offensive, the team that scores the most goals.
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