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00:00For a team that threw away a two-goal lead and then a one-goal lead, Inter Milan came away from the Olympic Stadium feeling very good about the fact they were able to go toe-to-toe with Barcelona last Wednesday night.
00:09Player of the match, Denzel Dumfries, said the world saw the real Inter Milan after three defeats coming into that game.
00:15And they'll be confident they can finish the job at the San Siro, where Simone and Zaghi's team are unbeaten in their last 15 home Champions League matches in 2012.
00:23But this Barcelona team are already Copa del Rey champions on top of La Liga and Hansi Flick football has delivered 160 goals this season, 40 of those in this competition alone.
00:35The mini-mile strike in the first leg may well have been the best of the lot for a player who doesn't want to compare himself to Leo Messi.
00:41He's doing a really bad job of avoiding that comparison.
00:43And they welcome back their star striker, Robert Lewandowski, has scored more goals than anyone else this season in the five major European leagues.
00:49He missed the first leg through injury, but is fit enough to give the manager yet another attacking option off the bench tonight.
00:57Tomorrow night in Paris, Arsenal have it all to do in their second leg against PSG.
01:01We have full live coverage of that one. We will be in the studio from 7 o'clock.
01:06Surely Man Utd can deliver a nice, comfortable night for their fans on Thursday. You never know with them.
01:11They take a 3-0 lead into the second leg of the Europa League semi-against Athletic Club.
01:15Spurs are also in a strong position heading to Norway, although the late goal they conceded.
01:19It complicates things a little bit. Their game is live on Premier Sports 2 on Thursday.
01:24Tonight, we can only hope we get half as much drama as we saw in the first leg.
01:28Inter Milan versus Barcelona kicks off at 8 o'clock at the San Siro.
01:34It really was an extraordinary game of football last week.
01:37Six goals, a performance for the ages from young Lamin Yamal.
01:40It was so exciting that Neil Lennon, watching somewhere in Scotland, thought,
01:43you know what, I need to get back into the Premier Sports studio for this second leg.
01:47Neil, good to have you back.
01:48Thank you very much. The fans were united.
01:50Yes, absolutely.
01:51I miss you that much.
01:53Obviously, the game was so good, I had to come back.
01:56Had to be back. In fairness to you, you've been back at the coalface.
01:58That's the reason you've been away for the last few weeks, managing Dunfermline in Scotland.
02:02Nice to be back involved.
02:03It was great, yeah.
02:04Short term, I had a job to do.
02:07I really enjoyed the work that we did with myself and my assistant, Ian.
02:10So, yeah, we saw it out. We consolidated the position in the league and talks are ongoing for maybe next year, but we'll see.
02:19You just missed Kenny too much, though.
02:21I did, yeah.
02:22Small dose. I work on small dose.
02:24I mean, you're doing the distraction. I had to go and take a job in the Scots Championship.
02:28Do I want this job or not?
02:29I don't know, but I need to.
02:30I need to go further away.
02:32Confirming on Kenny.
02:32We've got all this the way up show, you know.
02:35You tipped Inter to make the final at the start of the...
02:39I think that's the only reason he came back, to be honest.
02:40Yeah, yeah.
02:42They just play away that...
02:44No one's aggie. I came up against him in Mateus and Celtic.
02:47He's got the 3-5-2 down to perfection, almost.
02:51And they're really...
02:52They're more of a team than a team of individuals.
02:55And the way he technically sets them up and, you know, they're so smart and defend brilliantly.
03:00Yeah, listen, he's offside, but...
03:02I think that rule's going to be changed, obviously, next year.
03:07But there's been a lot of talk about football in the main one as not being as good as it was maybe five, ten years ago.
03:14People talking about the Premier League, talking about the Champions League.
03:16That was a showcase game there for the modern-day game.
03:20It kind of shocked us a little bit how good it was.
03:22It was brilliant.
03:23I don't think Barcelona's performance is going to necessarily surprise us.
03:26We know the type of football they played.
03:27I think it was Inter, to be fair.
03:29They just showed the best side of them.
03:31The very best that they had.
03:33So brave in terms of coming out of the nuke and going at Barcelona.
03:37And the high-quality nature of the game.
03:39Maybe in comparison to what we saw against the Arsenal-PSG game.
03:42A little bit more intense.
03:43A little bit more fractured.
03:44It was a real ebb and flow.
03:45A real kind of high energy to this game.
03:47High technical ability.
03:48A real top-class game of football.
03:50I think you make a great point, Eric.
03:52But I think this current Barcelona team actually make you play that way.
03:56You have to play that way.
03:57You have to be brave.
03:58Otherwise, they'll crush you.
04:00They'll strangle you.
04:00How do they draw you into that kind of game?
04:02Because they're so open.
04:04You know, they're almost like going back to the Guardiola period, this team, I think.
04:09There's so many goals in them.
04:11But again, they leave.
04:12They play a risk and reward football at the back.
04:14But going forward, they're unbelievable to watch.
04:17Enrique has brought a little bit of that back to PSG.
04:19That style of football as well.
04:21But it was a real clash of styles.
04:23And it suited the game.
04:25And they're brilliant players.
04:26And they showed their individual brilliance at times.
04:28Inter as well.
04:29I think you're right.
04:30Barcelona are at their best in possession.
04:32They've always played a possession-based game.
04:34The high-level of technical players which they have.
04:36Petri de Jong, Almo, etc.
04:37This Inter team looks as if it's at its best almost on transitions.
04:42So they're kind of happy to get Penn back, sit back, draw Barcelona onto them.
04:45Because they know that's where the weakness is in this Barcelona team.
04:48Across the defensive line.
04:50That's where they have their strength in terms of that partnership up front.
04:53And the pace they can get from the flanks.
04:55I remember we were talking about it being pre-match.
04:57The fact that it was at the Olympic Stadium rather than the Noucault.
04:59We were wondering, would that affect the atmosphere?
05:01It definitely didn't.
05:02It just created its own atmosphere.
05:03It was that kind of game.
05:04And the San Siro should be rocking tonight.
05:06Yeah, I mean, San Siro is one of the best stadiums I've ever played.
05:08And it's a special place to play football.
05:09I know they're talking about you making a new one and stuff.
05:11But when you're on the pitch, the stand literally feels as if the fans are coming over top of you.
05:16It's a special place to play.
05:17And the atmosphere was actually there.
05:18Ready to go out the ice.
05:19I was looking to have to be there last season as well.
05:21With Newcastle and the Champions League as well.
05:23Their home support is absolutely phenomenal.
05:25It really is.
05:26And from minute one to the end, I think they're called the Ultras behind the goal.
05:30They can make a special atmosphere.
05:31And these Barcelona players will know they're in for a game tonight.
05:33I know they know that from last week's game, which was phenomenal.
05:37I mean, Jamal doesn't look like he could play in the Black Garden.
05:39He doesn't look that bothered because he's such a special player.
05:42But what I'm saying is the atmosphere they create.
05:44This is a big night for Inter Milan at home, second leg.
05:47And the team done themselves proud last week, of course, away from home.
05:51Can they finish the job tonight?
05:52Yeah, I think there's more pressure actually in this Inter Milan team.
05:55Because of the level which they achieved last week against Barcelona,
06:00the expectancy is they need to repeat that.
06:02That's not going to be easy, huge pressure on their shoulders playing at home tonight.
06:06I think they're going to feel it a little bit more.
06:08I don't think this Barcelona team is going to get phased by going to the San Siro tonight.
06:11I really kind of don't.
06:12For me, it's all about Inter Milan, whether they can reach the heights that they did last week.
06:16Do you want to get in there?
06:17It's just a home record.
06:19You talked off-screen.
06:21It's brilliant in the Champions League.
06:23I think their approach might be different this time.
06:27You know how they're going to take the game to Barca rather than Barca take the game.
06:31Can they take the ball off Barcelona for those periods of the game?
06:35I'm not sure they can.
06:36What do you mean take the ball off them?
06:37In terms of Dominic, yeah.
06:39That level of technique, but he likes it.
06:42I don't think he can.
06:43That won't faze them though, can he?
06:44They're one of those teams that are quite happy.
06:46They can win this game with 35% position, 100% potentially, Inter Milan, how they set up.
06:51It's just going to be interesting to see how they approach the game.
06:53But they're going to offer a great start in Barcelona, having a two-goal lead.
06:58They may not get that tonight, so they're going to have to make every minute count.
07:00Speaking of getting off to a great start, PSG last week, I don't know what you made of their performance against Arsenal.
07:05How disappointed were you with Arsenal, particularly maybe in those opening?
07:09Two unbelievable chances.
07:10That's why I think they've got a lifeline Arsenal, but it's a big job.
07:13I think there was huge expectation on Arsenal after the Real Madrid performance as well.
07:16Yeah.
07:17And they didn't live up to the expectation.
07:19Now their mindset has to change for tomorrow night.
07:21Yeah, I'm just laughing because I remember you completely wrote Arsenal off after the first leg last week, Kenny.
07:25Couldn't do many chances.
07:26Bearing in mind we're doing full coverage.
07:28Now you've slept on it, Kenny.
07:30Now you've slept on it.
07:31What do you think, Kenny?
07:32Completely is a stretch.
07:33No, I think they'll go out.
07:34That's for sure.
07:35Is building it up there then, maybe?
07:37No, no.
07:37No, I think it helps them.
07:39Party coming back strengthens their hands in terms of freeze up Declan Royce or up the pitch.
07:43He was outstanding in the burnabout, by the way.
07:46Phenomenal.
07:47And you don't want to restrict him.
07:48You want him going box to box those energy levels.
07:50It gives them a whole new dimension.
07:52Mourinho will give him that kind of physical presence, high up the pitch.
07:55But the problem is those last two chances there, Kiviar, left-sided centre-half.
07:58That's a real issue for me.
08:00I don't see how you get around that with the quality of that front three from PSG.
08:04And I think ultimately at this level of competition, at this stage, semi-final second leg,
08:08any of those small weaknesses bubble to the surface and you get exposed.
08:11And I think that's going to cost them.
08:12Well, that's all on the way tomorrow night.
08:14As for tonight, the medical bulletins coming from both setups were always going to be quite interesting
08:18just in terms of who exactly was fit, particularly up front for both sides.
08:22The spokesmanagers hoping to be able to call on their main man up front.
08:26Barcelona had a defensive issue or two to think about as well.
08:29So we'll bring you all the latest on that after the break.
08:38Here we go.
08:48Yeah, these two fans making sure that mobile phone doesn't fall between them anyway.
08:52They're doing a great job.
08:52Shea was mentioning how this is a great stadium to play at.
08:55The San Siro.
08:56That lad's struggling to crack a smile.
08:57Come on, this is a Champions League semi-final here.
08:59Second leg with plenty of Barcelona fans turning up tonight.
09:03Obviously, Inter are going to be well up for this one.
09:05And there's good news team selection-wise for that young Lortaro Martinez fan,
09:08which we'll get to in a few minutes' time.
09:10That was a big selection call from an Inter point of view.
09:13As regards the Barcelona team,
09:15Jules Conde was ruled out a right-back.
09:17That much was apparent before the game.
09:18So they had to decide whether to go there, Garcia, or not.
09:21And that is what they've done there.
09:22As you can see, it's only changed in the starting line-up.
09:25But the big news really there is number nine.
09:27And he really is at number nine, isn't he?
09:28Robert Lewandowski is back on the bench.
09:30He missed the last few games.
09:31He wasn't involved in the first leg.
09:32And you've got to say, lads, that's a bit of a weapon to bring off the bench.
09:37Yeah, he's not bad, is he?
09:38Lewandowski.
09:39It's great to see him back, obviously.
09:40I think when you come down to the semi-final and finals,
09:43you want to see the biggest and best players.
09:45And if you need to call Lewandowski tonight for a cameo role off the bench,
09:49he's a good player to come off the bench.
09:50Can't be fit, though.
09:51That's all I'd say.
09:52If he was fit, he plays.
09:54Yeah, but he's going to come back from injury.
09:55I know you're saying psychologically it's great to have him on the bench,
09:57but he can't be anywhere near fit.
09:58They probably maybe rush them a little bit back, but maybe 15, 20 minutes.
10:04Yeah.
10:04You know, what a sub to have for a coach.
10:06Does he need to be fit?
10:08If you're just bringing him on to nick a goal in the last 15, 20 minutes,
10:12and he's a goal-scoring machine, this man.
10:14No, without a doubt, phenomenal.
10:17Even physically, like his conditioning, he's fantastic.
10:21Obviously a great professional.
10:23Has got physicality in terms.
10:25He can't bully him.
10:26Great feet.
10:27Great understanding of where he needs to be inside the penalty box.
10:31That comes with experience, you know,
10:32but certain players are just sharp.
10:34They understand where they need to be at the right moment.
10:37And he just compliments the players around him
10:39in this kind of Barcelona team.
10:40Those players, that high level of technical ability,
10:43which we spoke about.
10:44When you've got the likes of Rafinha having the season,
10:46he is down the left-hand side and Jamal down the other.
10:49It's a bit of a dream team to be in for a kind of agent centre-forward
10:53to have players of that quality around you.
10:55Quite refreshing when you watch the clips there.
10:57He's a centre-forward, he's a number nine, he's between the posts.
11:00And I know that sounds very simple,
11:01but sometimes you see, we watch the Premier League every week and stuff,
11:03and you see players drifting out to the wings and drifting.
11:05There's no false nine about this lad.
11:06There's no false nine.
11:07He is an out-and-out striker, an out-and-out goal scorer,
11:09and he knows where to be, where the danger is going to be,
11:11and where he's going to get goals from.
11:13He does have that experience as well.
11:14Obviously, he's benefiting from playing with these younger players,
11:16but they must benefit from having someone like him.
11:18Well, you imagine as well, even in the changing room,
11:20on the bench tonight,
11:21you imagine what he's saying to the players in the changing room tonight
11:23before they're going out of the atmosphere.
11:24I've been here before, lads, blah, blah, blah.
11:26He's an experienced leader as well,
11:27and of course, yes, Kenny might not be 100% fit,
11:30but I'll tell you what,
11:31he'd give me a good 20 minutes if I need to go.
11:32Well, let's go to the other age,
11:34the other range side of the age range, I should say.
11:37Lamine Yamal, 17 years of age.
11:39Already.
11:39He also looked disappointed, I thought.
11:41There's this slightly strange presentation at the end of the game for the 100 cap,
11:43but it didn't look like, oh, I'm delighted to...
11:45Well, it's because he didn't win.
11:46Yeah, of course.
11:46It's a good sign.
11:47He's still got to work today,
11:48so he's quite a humble kid, obviously,
11:50but what a natural talent.
11:52It's really unfair,
11:53but it's inevitable it's going to happen.
11:55He's going to get the comparisons to Messi
11:57because he's that good.
11:58I think he's got a billion pound buyout clause,
12:00so Vinny, you've got to spare a few quids up the road,
12:02you might be able to buy it.
12:03It might be unfair, by the way, Neil.
12:04It might be unfair to compare, but let's...
12:06But look, that's unbelievable.
12:07Look at that graph there.
12:08It's absolutely frightening what he's done in such a short career,
12:11and he's just going to get better, obviously.
12:13He's also won the Euros with Spain.
12:15Yeah, can he have the longevity of the two characters on the right,
12:18but they're about just to fall off the conveyor belt.
12:21This guy, for me, looks like the next guy to jump on it.
12:23I'm talking superstar.
12:24This guy is just a special player of talent.
12:27As a defender, Kenny, I don't know what you'd do to try and stop.
12:30I know they're doubling up, maybe trebling up.
12:32What about that?
12:32Yeah, it's interesting.
12:33He develops as he gets older, maybe,
12:36because you're playing as a centre,
12:38so he looks very comfortable off that right-hand side,
12:40clearly.
12:40Predominantly left foot,
12:41but that's natural in the modern kind of game.
12:44Technical ability.
12:45I agree with Neil in terms of physically,
12:47looks like a man.
12:48You look at him,
12:48you don't think 17 years of age.
12:50As a defender,
12:51you size him up,
12:52you think,
12:52can I physically intimidate and bully him?
12:54I don't think so.
12:55How do you stop him, then?
12:56How do you shut this down?
12:57Nobody wants to see all this amazing...
12:59Yeah, well, these type of players,
13:00fastidious in their analysis and their preparation.
13:03We'll prey upon that.
13:04Can you fix that, though?
13:05It's difficult to defend against
13:06if you've got a bigger guy against a smaller guy.
13:08Sometimes there's a mismatch.
13:09It really is.
13:10If a delivery is good
13:11and they're attacking it,
13:12I mean,
13:12Pedrian,
13:13one of them probably should go and edit.
13:14He turns his neck on it
13:15and if he goes and hits,
13:16he probably gets a kick in the face of him,
13:17but he'll get a free out as well on the dunk.
13:19Joel, do you know sometimes
13:20when you've got...
13:21Sorry, Kenny.
13:21When you have smaller players in the team,
13:23leave three up.
13:24Yeah.
13:25It might mean they have to bring four back.
13:27Then they've got one take in it,
13:29which is five,
13:30so the maximum they can put in the box is five.
13:32It just means you're susceptible to a short corner.
13:34Yeah.
13:35But maybe you can bring four back
13:36and maybe they'll be a bit worried about putting...
13:38But also what that does as well,
13:38then it frees up space in the box
13:39because the bigger guy's even more room
13:41to go and attack stuff as well.
13:42So it's a difficult balance,
13:44but it's definitely an advantage
13:45that Inter have over Barcelona tonight for sure.
13:46And even the likes of Levin Deus,
13:47we talk about a miss,
13:48he's got to be in possession
13:49because the reasons that we said
13:51holding the ball or blinking up a play.
13:53We could also argue he's a miss,
13:55our possession in terms of defending
13:57set pieces into the box,
13:58six for three.
13:59He's another physical present,
14:00defending corners and free kicks
14:02that they're going to have to do without.
14:03I think it's a big issue for them this evening,
14:05it really is.
14:05All right, the Inter Milan team,
14:06it's interesting,
14:07they rested nearly the entire starting line-up
14:09for the Verona match in Serie A at the weekend
14:12and they're still very much in contention for Serie A,
14:13but they are a few points off now
14:15and maybe they see this one
14:16as the one that's more winnable for them now
14:18and that is why Lautaro Martinez
14:19goes into the starting line-up
14:21despite him to come off in the first leg.
14:24So no changes to their starting team,
14:26but we're waiting,
14:27we're baited bread,
14:27to see whether or not
14:28they'd be able to field Lautaro Martinez.
14:31If Robert Lewandowski isn't fully fit,
14:32are we presuming this guy isn't fully fit either?
14:35We saw the picture of him last week
14:37in the hands of his head when he came.
14:38That suggested to me
14:39it was an injury of some significance.
14:41I wasn't expecting him to start this evening.
14:43I think it's a given he's not 100%,
14:45but clearly I can actually understand this gamble,
14:47getting this fit on the pitch.
14:48This fella for me is at his peak
14:50at his powers over the last year.
14:53He's absolutely phenomenal in terms of his goalscorer
14:55in his all-around game.
14:56I think he's a brilliant centre forward.
14:58His partnership with Toram
14:59is one of the strongest arguments
15:01in terms of potentially
15:02how Inter can get into the final.
15:03This system that they play,
15:04they play with two central strikers
15:06and they try and stay high up the pitch
15:08and it means when they turn over the ball
15:09Inter Milan,
15:10they have two targets to hit straight away,
15:12him and Toram.
15:13And it's a big weapon to have
15:15and having him on the pitch tonight
15:16is absolutely huge.
15:17Hasn't got the pace of Toram in behind.
15:19He's not going to run away
15:19from too many people down the sides,
15:21but his holder plays,
15:22Linkwood plays fantastic
15:23and he's an absolute killer
15:25in around the box at the moment.
15:26His physical presence,
15:27even though he's small,
15:27he's a good little centre of ground.
15:29Yeah, exactly.
15:30I think Koundé is a big loss
15:31for Barcelona tonight
15:33just because he's a proper right-back.
15:35I'm looking at Barca's back four,
15:37I'm not overly convinced on it,
15:40but they've still got so much
15:42going forward.
15:43But the back four to me
15:44looks a bit of a worry
15:45and maybe Martinez
15:46will capitalise on that as well.
15:48Yeah, and maybe Dumfries
15:49will make hay on the other side as well,
15:50attacking the way he did last week.
15:52He got player to match,
15:53we mentioned this,
15:54everyone knows that now,
15:55which is kind of bizarre
15:56considering how...
15:57probably more flashy on the eye,
15:59but again,
16:00what he brings you
16:01from wing-back
16:02is just phenomenal.
16:03His energy level's up and down
16:04and he doesn't stop,
16:04he goes and he goes and he goes
16:06and Barcelona switch off
16:07for one second,
16:08he's in.
16:09Yeah.
16:09I was just going to say,
16:10I was interested,
16:11that first piece you saw there,
16:1226 seconds into the game
16:13when Dumfries went down the right end.
16:15So that initial ball
16:15that he put into the box,
16:16it was DeMarco,
16:17the opposite wing-back
16:18who was looking to get into the box
16:20to get on the end of it.
16:21So it was almost a statement
16:22of intent for me
16:23from Inter Milan
16:24in that opening,
16:2530 seconds to say,
16:26look,
16:26we're here to play.
16:27That's what Neil was talking about earlier,
16:28wasn't it?
16:28That they were going to talk to them,
16:29they were choosing their moments,
16:30quite a lot of moments
16:31to have a go.
16:32It's what three goals
16:32away from home
16:33in the semi-final,
16:34you know?
16:35The payback of that
16:36is they've conceded three,
16:37but they're a top team one,
16:39you know?
16:39Come away at 3-3
16:40from Barcelona
16:41with the form they've been in,
16:42yeah,
16:43they'll fancy this tonight.
16:43This is an Inter Milan team,
16:45I think there's a bit of a
16:46mode of thinking out there
16:48of the defensive structure
16:49this season,
16:50you know,
16:50traditional Italian Inter team,
16:52difficult to break down.
16:54It's not the case
16:54with this Inter team.
16:55They've probably conceded that
16:56because they have to conceded
16:57the most goals,
16:58the top five in Serie A this season.
17:00And if you look at that
17:00midfield three
17:01that they have in there,
17:02they've got Gianni Loglu,
17:03who's a number 10.
17:0410?
17:05He's a number 10.
17:05Mkhitaryan,
17:06a forward-thinking player.
17:07Borella's a box-to-box
17:08someone you don't.
17:09So they don't have
17:09a national defensive linchpin.
17:11I think when they got
17:12to the Champions League final
17:13a couple of years ago
17:14it was Brozovic who was
17:15sat in there.
17:16You could actually trust
17:16their possession of the football.
17:18They don't have that in there.
17:19They have ball-playing
17:20centre midfielders.
17:21So that's the reason,
17:23I think,
17:23that's the worry for me
17:24tonight for Inter Milan.
17:25If Barcelona get enough
17:26of the ball,
17:27Pedri in those areas
17:28of the pitch,
17:29work on those clever
17:30little combinations,
17:31I don't think they have
17:32those people in there
17:33who can recognise danger,
17:34make those enough
17:35interceptions,
17:36tackles,
17:37and kind of prevent
17:37Barcelona from creating
17:38those goal-scoring opportunities.
17:40The same argument
17:40could be made against
17:41Barcelona in terms of
17:42not necessarily having
17:42too many defensive linchpins.
17:44It's not really
17:45what this team is known for
17:46and what the club
17:46in general is known for.
17:48We're going to be talking
17:48about the famous high line
17:50that Hansi Flake
17:50appears intends to implement
17:52no matter what.
17:52I'm all for it,
17:53I have to say,
17:54if it leads to another match
17:54like we had in the first day,
17:56we'll get into all that next.
17:57Here we go.
18:05Here we go.
18:05more worried,
18:16more relaxed than other games?
18:18No, it's not relaxed.
18:19I have respect
18:20what you need,
18:21but also I'm happy
18:22to be here.
18:23I'm happy
18:23we are in the semifinal.
18:24We, of course,
18:26there's now
18:27what I said,
18:28it's the final
18:28before the final,
18:29big final.
18:30But, you know,
18:32we earned it
18:32also,
18:33we have earned it
18:33and because we have
18:35a great attitude,
18:36a great mentality,
18:37it's really unbelievable
18:39that the team is playing
18:40or played till now
18:41and today,
18:42we just,
18:43I said to them,
18:43enjoy it,
18:44just show how good you are
18:45and play as a team
18:47and the fans,
18:49they respect this
18:51and also they are happy
18:53that we are here.
18:53Talking about the line-up
18:55in defense,
18:56you're going to play
18:56with Kuparsi,
18:57with Inigo,
18:58with Eric in the right
18:59and Gerard in the left.
19:00Have you been thinking
19:01about many of their options
19:02because maybe Inigo in the left
19:05or Ronald Araujo
19:06or you have been
19:07focused always
19:08in these four players?
19:09No, it's like
19:10we always think about this.
19:11We discuss it
19:12but at the end
19:13it's like
19:14Inigo and Kuba
19:15are playing in the center
19:17and they're doing
19:18really great this season
19:19and of course
19:20Eric could also
19:21play on the right side
19:22and Gerard
19:24make it good.
19:26Are you especially
19:26concerned in set pieces today?
19:28No,
19:29we adapt something
19:32and hopefully
19:33we make it better.
19:35And the last one,
19:35what do you think
19:36is going to be
19:36the key of the game?
19:38The key is that
19:39we have to
19:40our structure,
19:41we spoke about
19:42structure,
19:43structure and structure.
19:44It's about
19:45the offense
19:46but also in the defense.
19:48So we start
19:48with a good structure
19:50in the pressing
19:51but also with a ball
19:52with a good structure
19:53in the right position
19:54and to create chances.
19:58Structure,
19:59structure,
19:59structure
19:59says Hansi Flick
20:01who could have
20:02a fairly relaxed figure
20:03there in that interview
20:03I thought
20:04and obviously
20:05was an assistant coach
20:05for an awful long time
20:06before he took
20:07the Bayern job.
20:08Did unbelievably well
20:09with them,
20:09didn't go so well
20:10with Germany
20:11but he's bounced back
20:11with Barcelona.
20:12They've scored 40 goals
20:14in the Champions League
20:15this season.
20:16That's the most
20:16since Bayern's
20:17treble winners
20:17in 2020
20:18coached also
20:19by Hansi Flick.
20:20They certainly
20:21score goals
20:22his teams.
20:23Amazing,
20:24they really do
20:24and he's settled
20:25in at Barcelona's
20:26first season
20:26and they're on
20:27for the treble
20:27aren't they?
20:28I think El Clásico
20:29is coming up
20:29at the weekend
20:30as well.
20:30Yeah, they move
20:31seven clear
20:31which would be massive
20:32and again
20:33you're right
20:34what you said
20:34he looks relaxed
20:36he looks comfortable
20:36and probably
20:37the biggest thing
20:38is to enjoy it.
20:38When you used to play
20:39these are the nights
20:40you want to play
20:41and the big Champions League
20:42nights and of course
20:42a semi-final
20:43you're like
20:43going to the players
20:44show to the world
20:45how good you are
20:46enjoy this stadium
20:47enjoy the occasion
20:48and obviously
20:49get to the final.
20:50Now they do
20:50leave themselves
20:51open at the back
20:52it's fair to say
20:53don't you?
20:54As defenders
20:54are given the
20:54responsibility
20:55to make those
20:57decisions themselves
20:58in terms of
20:58how high to keep
20:59the defensive line
21:00when to drop
21:01and that was
21:01that depended
21:02on a number of factors
21:03distances
21:03position of opposition
21:05players etc etc
21:06so you had responsibility
21:07to make those
21:08decisions yourself
21:08that's gone
21:09that's gone now
21:10Neil
21:10I get that
21:12but I'm not saying
21:13that's wrong
21:14I am saying it's wrong
21:15actually
21:16I don't know
21:16what I'm talking about
21:17I am saying it's wrong
21:18I don't think
21:19that's the proper way
21:19to the Fed
21:20because one decent
21:21pass and they're
21:22split wide open
21:24but they've got
21:25the reward anyway
21:26they don't need
21:26to play a hang line
21:27because they've got
21:27good enough players
21:28to hurt any team
21:29for me if you play
21:30a kamikaze
21:31defensive line like
21:32that against really
21:34good teams
21:34they're going to
21:35hammer you
21:35there is a reward
21:36but also you see
21:37some of them clips
21:38sometimes you don't
21:38even have to look
21:39you know you think
21:39if you need a killer
21:40pass at 10
21:41they drop in
21:41you could be a
21:43midfielder line
21:43and just hook it on
21:44that's absolutely
21:45fine
21:46but it's once
21:47they gain possession
21:47and start travelling
21:48to your halfway line
21:49those disses get
21:50smaller between the
21:51ball and your
21:52defensive line
21:52that's where the
21:53jeopardy comes in
21:54and for me
21:54you have to roll
21:55the clock back
21:56almost and say
21:57to the defenders
21:57I've got to trust you
21:58collectively to make
21:59the right decisions
22:00when to hold that
22:00defensive line
22:01and when to drop
22:02but we're talking
22:03about you as the
22:05next defender
22:06and you're probably
22:06right what you're
22:07saying but Hansi
22:07Flick is saying
22:08we'll adapt a set
22:09blazer in his
22:10interview he's not
22:11saying I'm going to
22:11adapt how we play
22:12and I'll be shocked
22:13probably again if they
22:14drop what you're
22:15probably right
22:16somewhere in the
22:16middle would be good
22:17but I don't think
22:18he will
22:18I agree with you
22:19but I'm looking
22:21why not
22:21why doesn't he
22:21modify
22:22I'm looking at the
22:24lines of the
22:25boys drew up
22:26and the analysis
22:26they're all over the
22:27place and they've
22:28got away with it
22:29because Mkhitaryan
22:30is that offside
22:32well it's on that
22:33part of the thing
22:33that the Barca have
22:34drawn 73 offsides
22:35at the Champions League
22:36Neil that's more than
22:37double second place
22:38it's a good line
22:38that Kenny
22:38it's a good line
22:39it is
22:40no listen
22:41I'll hold my hands up
22:43and say it obviously
22:44works to a certain
22:45degree but if you
22:46play like that
22:46and get it wrong
22:47you're going to get
22:48punished
22:48you said Martin
22:48was on last week
22:49going mad
22:49even off air
22:50why are they so high
22:51I think managers
22:52in particular
22:52I didn't think
22:53they needed to be so high
22:54because there's no
22:55pressure on the ball
22:56as well
22:56they have to drop
22:57it should be automatic
22:57as a defender
22:58drop if there's no
22:59pressure but they
23:00weren't
23:00they were going the
23:02you actually saw QB
23:04Austin run forward
23:05instead of going
23:05out there
23:06and I think particularly
23:07with this Barcelona
23:07defensive line tonight
23:08we know it's a weak
23:09it's a weak back
23:10forward tonight
23:11so how are you going
23:11to protect them
23:12you're not going to
23:12protect them
23:13by pushing them
23:14closer to the
23:14halfway line
23:15what you can do
23:15is actually encourage
23:17them back maybe
23:17at times into a
23:18deeper defensive block
23:19because Barcelona
23:20we're talking about
23:21Inter Milan
23:22being quick and
23:23effective on transition
23:24Barcelona have the
23:26players to do that
23:26as well
23:26the pace of Jamal
23:27and Rafinha off the
23:29flanks even Ferran Torres
23:30they can break out
23:32from a deep defensive
23:33block as well
23:33Barcelona can do
23:35both
23:35so if you have that
23:36weakness across the
23:37defensive line
23:38recognise it
23:39and modify your
23:40approach now and
23:40again not all the
23:41time
23:41drop a little bit
23:42deeper and actually
23:43hit Inter Milan
23:44on the quick
23:45transitions as well
23:46I don't think we're
23:46going to see it though
23:47let's talk about another
23:47player who didn't
23:49really get the
23:50headlines last week
23:50as Jamal stole all
23:51of those from
23:51Barcelona's point of
23:52view and Rafinha
23:53maybe to an extent
23:54he's going to have a
23:54huge game this
23:55evening
23:55again I think
23:57defending sometimes
23:58is making things
23:59look simple
23:59when they go
24:00when they press
24:01when they cover
24:02across
24:02you mentioned
24:02DeMarco covering
24:04across for him
24:04and again
24:05obviously Jamal's
24:06down that side
24:07he'll have to
24:08maybe double up
24:08and sometimes triple up
24:09in Mekateri and
24:10DeMarco and himself
24:11but the clips he
24:12showed there
24:12he's a quality
24:13defender
24:13I remember one stage
24:14towards the end of the
24:15match last week
24:15Shea turned to me in
24:16studio and said
24:16this is high end
24:17stuff we're watching
24:18it really was an
24:19amazing first leg
24:20and we're hoping for
24:21something similar
24:22something along those
24:23lines will be amazing
24:23in the second leg
24:24tonight at the
24:25San Siro
24:26we're getting close
24:27to kick off
24:27and we'll be back
24:28in a moment
24:28The Champions
24:44The Champions
24:46The Champions
24:50The Champions
24:52The Champions
24:54The Champions
24:55The Champions
24:56The Champions
24:57The Champions
24:58The Champions
24:59The Champions
25:00The Champions
25:01The Champions
25:02The Champions
25:03The Champions
25:04The Champions
25:05The Champions
25:06The Champions
25:07The Champions
25:08The Champions
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25:13The Champions