Zidane’s side are without the injured quartet of Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Fede Valverde and Alvaro Odriozola. At the same time, Luka Jovic and Eder Militao have not been included after testing positive for COVID-19.
Real Madrid’s absences make Antonio Conte laugh
Inter head coach Antonio Conte has laughed at suggestions that his Nerazzurri side will oppose a weakened Real Madrid squad when the two sides face off on Wednesday night at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Zidane’s side are without the injured quartet of Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Fede Valverde and Alvaro Odriozola. At the same time, Luka Jovic and Eder Militao have not been included after testing positive for COVID-19. “I don’t think Madrid can cry about their losses,” Conte said during a pre-match press conference on Tuesday. “They have a team with many good players. What the newspapers say about Madrid’s absences makes me laugh.” It’s a winning game for Inter after picking up just two points from their starting three games, which means they are sitting at the bottom of the group, but two points off Shakhtar Donetsk in second place.
The final game for Inter
“It is the final for us,” Conte said. “We know the history of the team, not only from the past but also from recent history. We know that we do not have many options but to have an important result. So, We showed that if we play well and focus, we can win the game. Alexis Sanchez was temporarily deployed as a centre midfielder in Inter’s last match, so could that be the role Conte is playing in moving him forward?” a decision during the match, not as a start,” he explained. “Maybe against a lower-level team, because we are already very attacking. We have full-backs that play like wingers and who attack a lot. To put three forwards, I think the team could not support it; we would have lost our balance. During the game, yes, it could have happened, but as an emergency solution.”
It is clear to the Italian coach that Inter has the most important thing to do. “Try to win the game, of course,” Conte said. “I don’t think there are any other options. We still have three games left, and we should get at least seven points. It is one of the toughest groups in the Champions League, but I think we’ve shown in previous games that we deserve so much more. But, indeed, the results have not come, and we need to understand why.”