Shakhtar Donetsk defender Dodo has shared his belief that Inter understimated them in their first meeting in the UEFA Champions League group stage ahead of Wednesday’s final group stage match between the two sides.
“We played very badly against them in the semi finals of the Europa League, so we started from the fact that it was a totally different game,” he explained in an interview with Italian news outlet TuttoMercatoWeb.
“I think they also underestimated us because many of us are very young but having played certain games has made us mature a lot and in any case, the first leg with Inter was the match that put us in the most difficulty.
“Obviously, with Borussia we lost by a lot and maybe we underestimated the match but Inter play a system that is very difficult to break down. They play a 3-5-2 and their press begins with like Lukaku and Lautaro. The five in midfield then continuously chase their direct opponents in the middle and on the sides.
“It is very difficult to cross their lines. What happened against them is that we managed to cancel out their counterattack, but they too have stopped our strengths, namely ball possession and quick counters.
“From a physical point of view they are overwhelming, when you think you have freed yourself you already find two of them on you. Their team marking is very strict.”
He was then asked whether he and his teammates were lucky to achieve a goalless draw with Inter in Ukraine.
“We wanted to win after the surprise win against Real Madrid and perhaps after drawing with Inter we thought that Gladbach were an easier rival. Instead they became the most difficult. The truth is that your marking can never be lacking in the Champions League and yet the big teams always leave you some space.”
He was then asked if he and his teammates are thinking about that 5-0 loss to Inter ahead of the match at San Siro and spoke on what he and his teammates need to do.
“It’s a game that causes us shame because we too feel like a big club. To lose 5-0 in the semi final it was very difficult to digest. In the first leg with Inter we promised ourselves: ‘This time it will be different. We may not win, but we cannot lose.’ and in fact we drew.
“Now we need a draw and we will do everything to get a point. We have great motivation, due, above all, to having o much hope of qualifying from such a difficult group. I think we will achieve an unprecedented qualification for Shakhtar.”
The Brazilian full back was then asked what he expects the second match with the Nerazzurri club to be like and what he and his teammates will try to do.
“We will play as hard as we did in the first leg and like we did against Real Madrid. For Inter it is a game of life or death. Whatever space they grant, we will try to exploit it.”
In conclusion he was asked about Inter’s greatest strength and their greatest weakness.
“We have to prepare to face a lot of set pieces, which they are lethal from and counterattacks. Hakimi and Ashley Young, or Perisic, create immediate superiority but they must be careful not to give us space, because we are very quick and we know how to exploit mistakes.”
This season the 22-year-old, who has been with Shakhtar Donetsk for nearly three years now, has made 16 appearances across all competitions to date, in which he has scored one goal and provided two assists for his teammates.