Italian Serie A News, Results, Analysis and Features on Football Soccer

Leonardo says FC Internazionale Milano “will perform like champions” as they are reunited with the team they beat in last year’s final, FC Bayern München, another improving side.

Under Leonardo in 2011 FC Internazionale Milano have been revived. But now the coach takes charge of the holders in the UEFA Champions League for the first time, against the side the Nerazzurri beat in last season’s final.

The Brazilan admits European football is taking it to another level entirely.

With a quick look to FC Bayern München, Louis van Gaal’s men are also in good form going into Wednesday’s round. The Bayern manager says the return of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry has turned their season and no doubt these two would like to rewrite the club’s failure of last season’s final, good place to start will be tonight against their nemesis.

“We were missing some of our quality players in the first part of the season but now things have changed – with them back we’re doing better”

UEFA.com -

Team news
Inter

• Diego Milito, the double goalscorer in last May’s final, is out with a thigh problem but Bayern old boy Lúcio – one caution from a suspension like Cristian Chivu – has returned from a similar injury. Wesley Sneijder, rested at the weekend along with Lúcio, is also available and in midfield Esteban Cambiasso and Dejan Stanković are finally 100% fit.

• Of their January signings, Giampaolo Pazzini and another ex-Bayern man, Christoph Knasmüller, are ineligible but Houssine Kharja, Andrea Ranocchia and Yuri Nagatomo have been registered

Bayern
• Ivica Olić remains a long-term absentee after knee surgery but Diego Contento (stress fracture) and Rouven Sattelmaier (bicep) are back in training. Mario Gomez has overcome an ankle complaint while Toni Kroos was a weekend substitute following a metatarsal injury sustained in December. Both are one booking from a ban, as is Danijel Pranjić. Thomas Kraft was substituted on Saturday with a head injury but is now fit.

• Since the group stage, Boy Deul and Luiz Gustavo have been added to the squad.

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