Barcelona vs Inter Milan preview: Hansi Flick’s side can claim to possess greater ammunition in attack than Bayern Munich
Barcelona have got a date with Inter tonight at the Estadi Olimpic, where they’ll be aiming to do what Bayern Munich couldn’t.
After Inter knocked out the German giants in the quarter-finals with a gritty, defensively disciplined performance, questions were raised about whether any side could break through the Serie A giants’ armour. Sure, the Nerazzurri have seen their season turn dramatically in recent weeks, from cruising at a healthy 60 mph towards a historic treble, to waiting by the side of the motorway trying to get the car back in order while their rivals zoom past them. But they are still Europe’s best side defensively this season.
“We know they’re very strong defensively and that defence is their greatest weapon,” said 17-year-old Lamine Yamal. “We have to play like we always do to advance.”
Bayern couldn’t. But Barca have reasons to believe they can.
A Different Type of Attacking Threat
Where Bayern came undone was in the final third. Despite their usual attacking firepower, they struggled to turn possession into clear chances. Leroy Sane, Michael Olise, and Harry Kane were mostly kept quiet by Inter’s compact shape and disciplined press. Thomas Muller came on and scored in the second half of the first leg, but when he started in the second he too was mostly kept quiet.
Barcelona, by contrast, can claim to possess greater ammunition in attack than Bayern Munich. Lamine Yamal brings an element of unpredictability, not to mention daring, to the right flank. The 17-year-old has already created 24 goals for Barcelona this season across all competitions – threatening to break a special record that Lionel Messi himself set – and has shown powers that few players can even dream of possessing. You wonder whether his magical feet could unsettle even a seasoned defence like Inter’s.
On the other flank, you find Raphinha. Cue the Brazilian to show on the night just why his name has been discussed around the Ballon d’Or. It is not mentioned often, but in terms of numbers, Raphinha is actually having a better season than Ronaldinho’s best for Barcelona. Expect Barcelona to try and pull Inter open from both flanks.
Learning from Bayern’s Mistakes
Bayern struggled to adapt once Inter went ahead. With the Italian side able to sit deeper and counter through Thuram and Martinez, Vincent Kompany’s side looked short on ideas and space. Barcelona, under Hansi Flick, have tended to be more patient in possession and more comfortable probing from side to side to open things up, like a chess grandmaster taking apart an inferior opponent.
The Bavarians were also wasteful in goal. Accusations of profligacy, directed towards Harry Kane in particular, appeared justified by the fact that sometimes Bayern missed when it looked like it was just much easier to score. It can’t be said with certainty but you expect Barcelona to be much more ruthless in front of Yann Sommer’s goal.
Barcelona have fewer injuries
Bayern missed Jamal Musiala, the midfield prodigy with big-game impetus. Dayot Upamecano could have provided much better cover in defence. There was none of the left-sided thrust that Alfonso Davies can bring. They didn’t have Manuel Neuer in goal, so Jonas Urbig was called upon to replace him.
Interestingly enough, similar to Musiala’s absence Barcelona will be without ruthless finisher Robert Lewandowski, which could raise Inter’s hopes. Ferran Torres is expected to play centrally in his place. At left-back, there will be no Alejandro Balde, with Gerard Martin expected to play instead. But other than those two, Barcelona’s starting 11 remain largely intact in comparison to Bayern’s against Inter.
That said, Inter have their own injury boost worth noting. The aforementioned drop in form for the Nerazzurri happened to coincide with (or be because of?) the absence of co-striker Marcus Thuram. Without the France international to support Lautaro Martinez in Inter’s front two, their goals dried up. They failed to score in each of their last three, all of which they lost, exiting the Coppa Italia and dropping six crucial points in the Serie A title race. So Thuram’s return could not have come at a better time as they seek to reignite their season.
With Thuram supporting Lautaro up front, Inter will fancy their chances on the counter. It’s a difficult task finding two better strikers at hold up play than Thuram and Martinez.
So, game on. Barcelona may arguably have a better shot with Inter than Bayern did, but of course there’s no certainty that they can tame this shrew.
