Inter come into this game on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw with Cesena at the weekend and the Nerazzurri have it all to do after a 3-1 defeat in the first leg last Thursday in Germany where Inter started brightly and took the lead but then capitulated after some defensive mistakes as has been the problem all season.
This is Inter’s most important game of the season as the Europa League represents the club’s best opportunity of European qualification for next season.
Wolfsburg come to the San Siro having lost just once in their last 21 matches in all competitions.
Dieter Hecking’s team followed up their first leg win against Inter with a 3-0 win against Freiburg which sees them sit in 2nd place in the Bundesliga.
Inter will be boosted by the absence of Wolfsburg defender Naldo who scored in the first leg. The Brazilian is suspended.
This is the Inter team news and probable line-up as reported by Sky Sport 24:
Inter could change formation for this game from a 4-3-1-2 to a 4-2-3-1 set up.
Roberto Mancini is expected to keep faith with Europa League goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo despite the Argentine having a hand in all 3 goals conceded in the first leg.
In the full back positions things could change as Yuto Nagatomo, Jonathan and Dodo are all injured. Davide Santon will play at left back but Hugo Campagnaro may well replace Danilo D’Ambrosio at right back.
In central defence the Andrea Ranocchia and Juan Jesus partnership will return after the Brazilian missed the Cesena match due to suspension.
The two holding midfielders will be Fredy Guarin and Gary Medel.
Xherdan Shaqiri picked up an injury against Cesena but has been called up to the Inter squad so that Mancini can evaluate the player’s condition, but at this stage Mateo Kovacic is the favourite to start in the trequartista role.
Wide right position is expected to go to the in-form Rodrigo Palacio and on the left Hernanes is expected to start.
The lone striker will be Mauro Icardi.
Probable Inter line-up (subject to change): (4-2-3-1) Carrizo, Campagnaro, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus, Santon, Guarin, Medel, Palacio, Kovacic, Hernanes, Icardi.
Bench: Handanovic, Berni, Andreolli, Vidic, D’Ambrosio, Donkor, Kuzmanovic, Obi, Puscas, Shaqiri.
Some Stats:
Inter are unbeaten in their last 11 home games in European competition.
Wolfsburg have never kept a clean sheet against Italian opposition.
Wolfsburg have registered the most shots on target in this year’s Europa League.
Inter have only won 1 of their last 5 home matches against German opposition.
Player to Watch: Rodrigo Palacio – After a bad start to this season we are finally starting to see glimpses of the Palacio from last season. He has also scored 3 goals in his last 3 Europa League games.
My Prediction: Inter 2-1 Wolfsburg
Scorers: Hernanes, Palacio (Inter), De Bruyne (Wolfsburg)
Officials: Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Assistants: Beck, Collin
Fourth Official: Burt Additional Assistants: Taylor, Friend
Author’s Note: I do think Inter can win this game, but as we seen last week and all season so far our defence make mistakes all too often. The problem is stopping Wolfsburg from scoring but we all live in hope of the golden 2-0 result we need to qualify.
We have to look for an early goal in today match
inter wont win and the season is over. bye to qualification
I believe as the prediction states by the author of this article that inter will win this match but not go through. So a 1-0 2-1 or 3-2 win for inter, basically a one goal difference.
We lost to tottenham 3-0 and we score 3-0 also at Meazza in normal time…
Basically everything is possible…
Handanovic, Santon, Ranocchia, Andreolli, D’Ambrosio, Guarin, Medel, Hernanes, Kovacic, Icardi and Puscas should play and we will win by 3-0 or at least by 2-0. Scoring an early goal is a mandatory requirement! Come on it is Wolfsburg, we are Inter! Boys, let’s qualify to the next round for the sake of Inter fans and Inter legends!
cant believe everyone is just saying we will lose, just hope like against bayern in 2011
I want to share something with all of you … Those who Believe and those who dont… An individual by the name of: Glitch , on Youtube wrote this:
“What do we want to do tomorrow? We want to end the season with two months in advance and maybe even finish in tenth place? Or do we want to demonstrate infront of all of Europe that Inter is still alive !? If within you remained a little ‘pride’, I invite you to get it out and allow that pride to become something bigger with every heartbeat, until the very end! Tomorrow.. For every ball, every throw, taking advantage of every mistake of theirs as they did with us. They will have to walk out of that stadium believing they have faced 11 Bulls possessed and not a team now resigned to abandon this competition. Inter… do not do it for us, for the money, you have to do it for yourselves. After a few years you can talk of March 19, 2015 as a date carved in your memory and proudly say that you were not impassive spectators but protagonists on that field. Make history or simply read it, the choice is yours.”
Idk why but that realy hyped me up…It reminded me why i started supporting inter in the first place.Forza inter!!!
Simply beautiful… but the same should be said to the fans who will attend, they should show wolfsburg that they are not just a number of people that are cheering, but a tidal wave of hope strength and fear – a Terrifying asset that will awe wolfsburg.
That’s exactly what I want from inter, a come back performance like the one against Tottenham with stramacionni. That’s the last match inter played in a European competition with heart, pride and determination.
with carrizo on the goal, jj and ranocchia as a center backs, this sound like bullshit. i dont trust them anymore. 😉
Pure motivation. Great stuff
carizzo,campa,palacio,good old birdshooter …so….0:5 or more realistic we will keep the ball whole match without creating even one single shot on goal because thats mancio’s tactic…..
Campagnaro? Surely we are being trolled! 🙂
We will qualify Idk why but I feel it. We are really working hard and this time it will pay off. stranger things have happened we all remember that terrible defence we had vs bayern yet we beat them away 3-2 . LETS not forget the match vs tottenham we almost made it this time we will make it. Third time’s the charm we failed in the last min vs Marseille then again vs tottenham, this time we will do it.
If we dont believe we may as well not play because then it ended before it starts.
FORZA INTER!!!!!!!!!!
I am predicting a 2-2, I don’t see us getting through but ofc I hope I am wrong
Mancini can’t push Carrizo in the starting 11, not tomorrow; and if he did he will rape the result of simply bad decision, i am more mad at the ultras, if they showed enough respect and patience to Mazzari, Inter may have had a shot on third place, Manicini is great he proves that, he has done so well so far, its never easy to take on good team mid season, say the least troubled Inter the worst challenge any coach can experience.. i hope he make the right decision and start handanovic
Carrizo and campa… Need I say more…