Schalke 04 vs. Inter Milan: Leonardo Araujo and Javier Zanetti optimistic for ‘Mission Impossible’
Inter’s head coach Leonardo Araujo has not given up the hope of making it through to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, despite the humiliating 5-2 defeat to Schalke at home turf in the first leg of the quarter final.
Leonardo believes that ‘Everything is possible’ and they can jump back in at the return leg of the quarter-final. The Nerazzurri will have to score at least 4 goals in order to make it through to the next stage of the UCL and against an inform outfit like
Schalke it will not be an easy task.
Talking to the media about the 2nd leg Leonardo said:
“I don’t have to believe in miracles, but I do believe in sporting results. Something strange happened in the first leg and now it’s up to us to create something fascinating. We don’t just believe that we can qualify, but also in the idea of a great performance.
That is what we’ll need to overturn such a big result. Lucio is back, while Cristian Chivu is suspended, but we have an almost complete squad. I believe the team is clear-headed, as everyone has been through their comebacks in football and in life. They are
hungry to prove what happened at San Siro was a fluke.”
Leonardo reckons his side to be very unlucky in the 1st leg and said that they didn’t deserve to lose. The head coach said that they will be going in to win and they are focused at for the task at hand.
On the other hand, the team captain Javier Zanetti is also optimistic for the 2nd legs proceedings and believes that 90 minutes can change the course of any game, despite the task at hand is very difficult. The reigning Champions League holders
must outscore the 5-2 loss in Gelsenkirchen to advance to the next stage of the UCL.
Zanetti said that he and his team respect their opponents and they have never underestimated Die Knappen. Schalke proved their worth and quality at San Siro and they will not be giving the Serpent many opportunities to undo what has been done. Even the Nerazzurri
president Massimo Moratti calls the 4 goal deficit a ‘Mission Impossible’ and has little hope that the team will make a difference. Zanetti on the other hand negated Moratti and said the 4 goals are very much possible.
Inter after a great mid-season run have suddenly lost all that was in their reach in just two games. The men in black and blue jerseys lost the Derby della Madonnina 3-0 to city rivals AC Milan and then lost the first leg of the quarter-final 5-2 to a struggling
Schalke outfit. Inter are in a situation where they need to win everything that’s left in their hands in order to defend their titles and relive the Treble dream.