Wesley Sneijder is looking forward to the squatter in the eighth finals of the Champions League between Internazionale and Liverpool. The last time Inter reached the last sixteen of Europe’s biggest club tournament was ten years ago, in the 2011/12 season. Sneijder was also part of Claudio Ranieri’s team that season. In the end, Olympique Marseille proved too strong over two matches.
Sneijder spoke with some old friends in the run-up to the clash with Liverpool. “I feel a lot of pessimism,” he tells La Gazzetta dello Sport† “But anything is possible, even knocking out Liverpool. This Inter is strong.” Sneijder sees parallels between the current team of Simone Inzaghi and the success team of José Mourinho from 2010. “In 2010, we had a great group, that has never happened to me in my career. We were really united. But otherwise I see a lot Similarities. Great players, the mental toughness of winning the league title, the enthusiasm. It’s a beautiful team to watch.”
According to Sneijder, it is important for Inter to keep a close eye on Mohamed Salah. “If you lose sight of him, he is merciless,” says the former midfielder. “He should not have a moment to think. Inter must be very close to him. Then you have a good chance of stopping him. If they want to eliminate Liverpool, they have to keep up with Jurgen Klopp’s killer pace.” Inter will first play at home on Wednesday evening. The return is scheduled for Anfield in three weeks.
Sneijder also addresses Inzaghi. “I liked him as a football player, but as a coach I appreciate him much more,” said the man who was under contract with Internazionale between 2009 and 2013. “A destined man. He came in at a difficult moment at Inter, had a lot to lose after last year’s championship. But everything is easy for him. I think humility is his greatest gift. You can see it in the way he was seen by the group after the departure of Antonio Conte. He seems to have been born for the profession as a coach, I am convinced of that.”
It remains to be seen whether Stefan de Vrij will appear at kick-off on Wednesday evening. Italian media take into account that the Dutchman will start on the bench. “What is his strength? Professionalism. He knows better than anyone where he has gone wrong”, Sneijder probably refers to the elimination in the Europa League against Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019. De Vrij let himself in the return in a childishly simple way. snatching the ball by Luka Jovic, who made the only goal of the diptych. “But he also knows that in football there can be moments of highs and lows. The most important thing is that you know how to deal with that.”