Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez feels that the Nerazzurri clearly showed their superiority over AC Milan in the Champions League.
Speaking to UEFA Champions League Magazine, via FCInterNews, the Inter striker gave the view that the semifinal Milan derby tie left little doubt as to which of the two teams deserved to go through to the final.
The Milan derby is certainly never a predictable fixture.
The clash between the Nerazzurri and the Rossoneri has become notorious for being a fixture in which the form book gets thrown out the window.
It was anticipated that this would be all the more the case in a Champions League final. With both teams completely motivated, anything could happen.
And yet, for much of the two legs, it was clearly Inter who controlled the tempo of things.
The Nerazzurri got off to a blistering start, scoring twice before fifteen minutes had been played in the first leg.
Then, from there on out Inter mostly kept Milan at arms’ length.
Inter Star Lautaro: We Were Far The Better Team Vs AC Milan
Nerazzurri striker Martinez said that “We were far superior to Milan in terms of attitude. Having gone up by two goals made us feel relaxed for the second leg in front of our fans.”
Of his goal against the Rossoneri, Martinez called it “One of the most important of my career. Maybe not in terms of its quality, but the importance and the story behind it.”
“These things give you unique feelings, it’s difficult to describe.”
Of beating Porto in the round of sixteen, the Inter striker said that “We suffered against them.”
Then, of the quarterfinals against Benfica, Martinez said that “Benfica were a difficult opponent.”
“They had lost very few matches , and were scoring lots of goals,” he noted of this season’s Portuguese champions. “We were prepared because we had already faced Porto.”
“In training, the coach showed us their strengths and how to counter them.”
Of coming up against Man City in the final, Martinez said that “I watch a lot of videos of opposing goalkeepers to understand how they position themselves. Whether they come out for crosses, if they dive early in one-on-ones, which post they prefer.”
“It’s important to study these details,” he noted. “That’s how I can make the best decision in a fraction of a second.”
“I’m tense for every match,” he noted. “It would be the end for me if I didn’t still feel those nerves.”
“We’ll have to enjoy it because playing in the Champions League final doesn’t happen every day,” he said of facing City.
