Inter Milan must keep Barça’s Lamine Yamal at bay to reach final, says Simone Inzaghi

Inter Milan head coach Simone Inzaghi said that his team must stop Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal in the second-leg semifinal to reach the UEFA Champions League final. The first-leg between these two teams ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Barcelona Olympic Stadium last Wednesday with Yamal scoring a brilliant individual goal for the Catalan club.

After the first leg, Inzaghi had showered praise on the young Spaniard, stating that a player like him comes after every 50 years.

“We need to keep him away from the ball, but it’s impossible,” Inzaghi told a news conference when asked if he has come up with a plan to stop the Spain international.

“Whether that is a double marking job or one player following him closely, we will try to always pay attention to him. He’s such a great talent at 17 years old.

“Seeing him live, he’s so dangerous. Everyone gives him the ball. What impressed me was his speed of thought, he’s such a quick thinker. Even before receiving the ball, he always knows what move to make.”

Meanwhile, Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni will be assigned the task of keeping Yamal at bay. Bastoni said Yamal is one of the best players he has played against.

“I think so,” Bastoni told Sky Sport when asked if Yamal is the best player he’s ever come up against.

“I had faced him at the Euros and he wasn’t quite at this level yet. I was impressed by how much he has improved.

“I’ve played against many top players and in terms of age and that ability to create something, he’s one of the best, if not the very best.”

Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski will return for Barcelona after passing the fitness test. The Pole had missed the last four games due to injury.

The second leg will be played at San Siro in Milan on Tuesday.