Arrigo Sacchi opines that Barcelona merited victory over Napoli on Tuesday, expressing confidence in Inter’s possession of a ‘European mentality’ which he perceives as lacking in the Partenopei.
On Tuesday night, Napoli suffered a 3-1 defeat against Barcelona, consequently leading to their elimination from the Champions League during the Round of 16 stage.
Former Italy and Milan coach Sacchi contends that Barcelona deserved to progress to the quarter-finals.
“Too much Barcelona for this Napoli even with a team filled with youths without international experience, the Catalans dominated on the pitch,” the ex-Italian coach wrote in his column for La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“In the end, the stronger team that played better across the two legs qualified.
“I am so sorry for Napoli, who accomplished an extraordinary feat last season by winning the Scudetto. Calzona’s team showed defensive weaknesses because the line was not well organised. In midfield, Lobotka struggled against Xavi’s players, but what surprised me the most was the little involvement of Kvara and Osimhen, the two most awaited players,” continued Sacchi.
“It’s true that they didn’t get much service, but at the same time, they didn’t move much and they did it in the wrong way, so it was easy for opponents to stop them.
“Barcelona are not the same team as under Pep Guardiola, but they still know the principles of modern football. The Catalans proved to be superior.”
Tonight, at the Civitas Metropolitano stadium, Inter, the sole remaining Serie A club in the Champions League, is scheduled to face Atletico Madrid. Sacchi expresses optimism for a favorable result in this encounter.
“Tonight against Atletico, Inter have a maturity exam after a 1-0 win at San Siro, they’ll need a big performance to eliminate Atletico Madrid and qualify for the quarter-finals,” noted Sacchi.
“They must play with a winning mentality. I am confident because the Nerazzurri are in shape, they play excellent football and have enough experience for these sorts of matches. But I’d like to warn them because I know the Atletico Madrid environment having worked at the club for a few years. They have passion, and the fans will strongly support them, which could be a problem for Inter.
“There is just one way to dismantle this danger: take the initiative away from Atletico, leave them without the ball and dominate the pitch. If an opponent dominates possession against a Spanish side, it feels like a humiliation to them and as a consequence, players on the pitch and fans in the stands lose energy.”
Inter Milan emerged victorious with a 1-0 triumph over Atletico Madrid at San Siro a fortnight ago, extending their impressive winning streak to 13 consecutive victories spanning across various competitions. Notably, Lautaro Martinez, Benjamin Pavard, and Federico Dimarco, who were rested during the recent 1-0 win against Bologna, are set to return to the starting lineup against Atletico Madrid tonight.
As the current frontrunners in Serie A, Inter Milan hold a commanding 16-point advantage over their city counterparts, AC Milan.