Goal-shy Inter Milan eye Champions League semis while crisis looms at home
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Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku looks dejected after the 1-0 Serie A defeat by Monza.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MILAN – Inter Milan stand on the verge of making the Champions League semi-finals, but all is not well with a goal-shy team ahead of the visit of Benfica on Wednesday.
Last week’s superb 2-0 quarter-final, first-leg win in Lisbon gives Inter a great chance of setting up a blockbuster all-Italian, last-four tie with either Napoli or local rivals AC Milan.
But judging by their domestic form, they should be nowhere near the semis.
Inter have lost more than a third of their Serie A fixtures this season – Saturday’s 1-0 home loss to Monza was their 11th in 30 games – and the win at Benfica is their only victory in their last eight matches.
Simeone Inzaghi’s men sit outside the top four, a whopping 24 points behind league leaders Napoli and two behind fourth-placed Milan.
Worse, they have lost their last three home matches without scoring as formerly prolific forwards have collectively misplaced their shooting boots.
Inter are averaging less than a goal a game in the second half of the league season and, while Lautaro Martinez has not scored since March 5 in his team’s last Serie A win, a 2-0 victory over Lecce, the numbers for his attacking partners are even worse.
Edin Dzeko has been firing blanks since netting in the Super Cup against Milan on Jan 18 and Joaquin Correa’s drought extends to late October.
Romelu Lukaku, meanwhile, has had a nightmare return to Inter, scoring just three times from open play all season, his other four goals in all competitions coming from the penalty spot.
“We’ve not been at our normal level,” said Inzaghi.
“For 16 months, we were the best attack in the country and now we’re not scoring enough.”
“The lads played a great game (in the first leg) against a very strong side and in a difficult stadium with a great atmosphere.
“And Benfica have shown that they can play great games everywhere this season.
“We will need another great performance to reach the Champions League semi-finals.”
Romelu Lukaku (in blue) has had a nightmare return to Inter, scoring just three times from open play all season.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The atrocious form and the spectre of not reaching next season’s Champions League for a club whose finances are in disarray has left Inzaghi’s position at Inter in serious jeopardy.
But there is no doubt that the 47-year-old is an adept Cup manager.
Under him, Inter won the 2022 Italian Cup and Super Cup before retaining the latter in January.
This season, his team are in the semi-finals of the Italian Cup and have repeatedly shown up when it matters in the Champions League.
They got out of a group which contained Bayern Munich and Barcelona and did not concede a goal in three knockout matches.
With a two-goal cushion, Inter could yet have a chance to make the semi-finals for the first time since last being crowned European champions 13 years ago, if they can solve their scoring woes quickly. AFP
