Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has admitted that even he was starting to feel the nerves in the final couple minutes of stoppage time against Porto yesterday evening.
Speaking to UEFA TV, via FCInterNews, the 29-year-old didn’t hide the fact that he was feeling the rollercoaster of emotions as much as anyone else as Porto launched one final assault on the Nerazzurri’s goal in the Champions League round of sixteen clash.
Porto only needed a single goal to at least force extra time against Inter yesterday, but the Nerazzurri did well over the ninety minutes to prevent them from carving out too many opportunities.
The Portuguese team left it until after the regulation ninety minutes had elapsed to give Inter some of their biggest scares.
Inter needed an excellent Andre Onana save, an equally good last-ditch Dumfries block, and the frame of the goal twice in quick succession to keep the ball out of their goal.
This was naturally not easy on the nerves of the Inter fans watching in the stadium on television, and it wasn’t any easier for Calhanoglu.
Of the final couple minutes, Calhanoglu said that “They were really crazy.”
“I was getting a bit nervous, but that’s normal when you’re playing in the Champions League.”
“There’s extra adrenaline and anything can happen.”
Of the match as a whole, Calhanoglu said that “It wasn’t an easy night, we knew before the match started that that’s how it would be.”
“Playing at do Dragao isn’t easy,” he admitted, “the atmosphere is intense and Porto are a good team.”
“We were well prepared for it though, we defended well.”
“They had chances, but in the end they didn’t manage to score,” the Turk noted.
“We’re happy, I’m very happy that this club has gotten back into the Champions League quarterfinals after so many years away.”
