Inter Milan will see captain and star striker Lautaro Martinez return to the starting XI for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Barcelona.
Martinez missed Saturday’s 1-0 win over Verona with the hamstring issue sustained in the first leg against Barcelona last week, which ended 3-3. He was forced off at half-time in Spain has been racing against the clock to prove his fitness.
Benjamin Pavard is not available after failing a late fitness test. The defender has not featured for Inter since limping off after just 15 minutes of a recent home loss to Roma with a sprained ankle.
Speaking about the fitness of Martinez and Pavard, Inter boss Simeone Inzaghi said on Monday: "We'll decide tomorrow with the staff and the players. They'll have to tell me how they feel. Pavard has good feelings, Lautaro hasn't trained since the Barcelona match.
“Let's see how he is today in training."
Yann Bisseck continues to fill in for Pavard as the right-sided central defender.
Elsewhere, Hakan Calhanoglu is available after serving a domestic suspension. Yann Sommer, Alessandro Bastoni, Denzel Dumfries, and Nicolo Barella all return to the starting XI after being left on the bench against Verona.
There is a decision to make at left-wing back between Federico Dimarco and Carlos Augusto as Inter attempt to contain in-form Lamine Yamal. Dimarco gets the nod, though, keeping Inzaghi’s trust.
Inzaghi has said it is “impossible” to stop the wonderkid from getting on the ball but admits the instruction will be to double up on the winger.
"We have to try not to let him get the ball, but it's impossible,” Inzaghi said in the pre-match press conference. “Obviously, he'll be double-marked, a player who will be closely watched, and we'll try to pay attention to him.
“In person, he's a tremendous talent; he's truly dangerous and everyone gives him the ball. I was impressed by his quick thinking; he always knows what play to make."
CONFIRMED INTER MILAN XI: Sommer, Dumfries, Thuram, Martinez, Acerbi, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Barella, Bisseck, Dimarco, Bastoni
Subs: Di gennaro, J. Martinez, De Vrij, Zielinski, Arnautovic, Frattesi, Asllani, Augusto, Darmian, Re Cecconi, Zalewski, Taremi
Time and date: 8pm BST on Tuesday May 6, 2025
How to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Venue: San Siro
Referee: Szymon Marciniak
