Inter Milan coach Inzaghi confident ahead of Man City clash: Pep Guardiola an inspiration to me, says Carlos Volcano

Inter travels to City for their first Champions League match, setting the stage for what could potentially be a preview of this season's final.

Inzaghi spoke to the press on Thursday evening:

What will you ask of the team?

"I don't have to introduce Manchester City, we're facing a very organised, strong team. We've prepared for the match in the best possible way, we'll need to be fast, aggressive, willing to sacrifice. Many components to play a great match."

The consecration of his Inter comes after the Champions League final, is there something to correct immediately to maintain the level?

"Absolutely, looking back at this start and talking about the last match, the one in Monza, we played a game under the rhythm. However, we came from the match before the break, played in a very different way: I had many players around Europe, some like Lautaro and Taremi around the world. We played a game under the rhythm, tomorrow we will need a different intensity because we know that in Europe this is what is needed. This is the calendar. Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Arsenal were the strongest to take, we took City but we are happy because we will try to play a great game."

Guardiola said he only watched the final yesterday, you?

"I watched it again a week later, not before. And then a month ago, when we were in retreat, there was the full match on TV. I don't think it's a rematch, because it's not the final but a group match with a new Champions League format. In the final, I think the episodes are fundamental and Pep knows that too, tomorrow a new Champions League starts which will be very different: before you had to prepare three home and away matches, now eight different teams. We'll try to prepare the match as best we can."

Can we talk about a Lautaro case?

"Absolutely not, he is our captain and he will score a lot of goals for us. We need to evaluate and understand, he arrived almost a month after his teammates, he worked and had a problem. He stopped, then he went to the national team and played two games as a starter. He traveled a lot, with the games and with the training he will find the best form, as well as the goals he has always scored. Lautaro will always be a solution and never a problem for me."

Preparing the game differently, knowing that you will not dictate the pace, what would you change?

"We know: all the teams in Europe with City have to leave possession to them. We will have to be good in both phases, both when Manchester has the ball and when we have possession. Pep is very good at this, we will have to try to be good when we have the ball in being clean and skillful: leaving possession to City is not good and we saw it in the final."

Rodri said that the players are almost at breaking point...

"We know that there is a lot of play and we coaches are aware of it. I can say that preparing these games for a coach is beautiful and exciting, we know that television is one of the reasons why we earn well and are doing well, we have to adapt. We know that we started the preparation in July and that we will finish the season in late July with the Club World Cup. I know that there are some problems, but we plan to go all the way. I will have to alternate as many players as possible, today Dimarco and Arnautovic are not there, but we have been used for two years to having rotations that are sometimes limited."

Do you have an idea of ​​how many points you need to get into the top eight?

"No, just watch a simulation of eight games in the major leagues and you understand how many points you could get. It's new for everyone, I think it's a format that will be successful: it's more expensive in terms of games, but I think it will be very interesting."

Last year there was turnover in the Champions League, this year in the league. Has anything changed in the club's objectives?

"No, tomorrow there will be other choices. I don't know what you mean by the first-choice players: I'll make some assessments, tomorrow's lineup will be thought out. Today we'll have a full training session, including those who played in Monza. Tomorrow I'll bring with me some doubts that I'll resolve, it's normal that at the start of each season you have to make different assessments. City is the strongest team in Europe and we're facing them away, we're the only Italian team to play away and we played on Sunday, not Saturday. There are many different assessments that can be made, but I have the strength to have these guys who always satisfy me. Tonight and tomorrow we'll work a lot on the video and tomorrow we'll try to play a gigantic match."

Do you feel at the level of a team like City? Guardiola said that Inter can win the Champions League...

"We start to always win, then we know that there are budgets and other things but I don't like excuses. It will be a pleasure to see Pep again, I met him three times and I had a great time twice, in Istanbul a little less... I think he is the best coach around, he is an inspiration to me."