Simone Inzaghi Faces Significant Injury Challenges as Inter Gear Up for Feyenoord Clash

Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has stated that he has never encountered such a defensive injury crisis during his coaching career as his team prepares to face Feyenoord in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie this Wednesday.

The Serie A leaders, coming off a 1-1 draw against Napoli, find themselves without four of their five fullbacks, with Federico Dimarco, Nicola Zalewski, Carlos Augusto, and Matteo Darmian all unavailable due to injury.

Despite this setback, Inzaghi, who also confirmed that first-choice goalkeeper Yann Sommer remains sidelined, is optimistic about his squad’s ability to adapt and manage their demanding fixtures.

“We are aware that we’re facing some difficulties in a crucial area of the pitch… However, the fundamentals of the game remain unchanged; we are here to compete in the last 16, and we will give it our all,” Inzaghi told journalists on Tuesday.

“We’re not dwelling on our situation; instead, we focus on playing, understanding that we are in quite a predicament. In all my coaching experience, I’ve never had five fullbacks injured simultaneously, especially with all four left-side options out.

“We’re conscious of the effort it took to reach this point, but this is football, and we must navigate the schedule we face. We’ll proceed with considerable confidence.

“While it’s a two-legged affair, the players are aware that the first leg is crucial for us to progress. We’ve got a few minor issues to address, but I’ve noticed a tremendous willingness from everyone.”

Inzaghi anticipates a fierce contest in a charged environment against Feyenoord, a team that has already caused upsets against European giants like Bayern Munich and AC Milan in this season’s competition.

“They are a physically strong team with significant talent. We understand that playing there is challenging; I experienced it in 2000 with Lazio. I haven’t yet been there as a coach, but I know it’s a vibrant atmosphere,” he remarked.

“They’ve already achieved remarkable results in the Champions League, toppling Bayern and eliminating Milan. While we need to prepare for the second leg, our focus must remain on tomorrow’s match, even with several absentees, as is common in football.