Defender Alessandro Bastoni feels that Inter Milan were already seen as doomed in the Champions League group stage by many.

Speaking in the matchday programme for this evening’s Champions League clash with AC Milan, via FCInterNews, the 23-year-old noted that the Nerazzurri are on the verge of the final of the competition when many expected they’d go out at the first hurdle.

Inter’s Champions League group always looked to be a tough ask.

The Nerazzurri’s failure to win Serie A last season meant that they were in the third pot for the group stage draw. Moreover, the draw was about as bad as it could have been for Inter.

Getting both Bayern Munich and Barcelona in their group, Inter had a mountain to climb.

However, a win and a draw against the Blaugranas were enough to secure Inter a place in the round of sixteen.

Since then, Inter have just kept moving on.

Now, the Nerazzurri are ninety minutes away from a place in the final of Europe’s top club competition.

Bastoni: Inter Got Written Off In Champions League

Defender Alessandro Bastoni looked back on Inter’s path in Europe’s top club competition.

“Our entire journey has been brilliant,” he said.

“There were many who wrote us off for dead after the group stage draw, but instead we went through.”

Asked which has been his favourite match in the Champions League so far, Bastoni named “The one against Benfica. It was an intense atmosphere, and that made winning even more incredible.”

Of the need to not be complacent against Milan this evening, Bastoni said that “That’s always true. As I said before about Benfica, it’s a football match and we have to experience it, with all the joy and love we have for the sport.”

“It will be important to keep the right balance, because it will be another tough battle,” he continued. “They’ll be fierce because they have to turn the result around.”

“But we will have to stay focused and play the way we know how to.”

“The strength of this group is our unity,” Bastoni said. “We’re aware of the quality we possess, and we know that the only way to get this satisfaction is to stay united.”