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Inter Milan coach Inzaghi demands peak performance for Atletico Madrid

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi says they must be at their best tonight against Atletico Madrid.

Inter host Atletico in the first-leg of the Champions League round of 16.

Inzaghi said: “Predicting what'll happen tomorrow night isn't easy, seeing Atletico's last few games they have changed a lot, I saw the game against Las Palmas, and they were very aggressive. In the Super Cup they weren't the same attitude, the penultimate game in Seville they were different again.

“They're a team that dribble a lot more than in the past, they have a lot of technique and excellent quality players. I'm not sure what the match will be like, we know that we're facing a great team with a coach who has given a great mentality."

Inzaghi was asked if his team was now more European.

“I start from what happened, from what I did at Inter. Last year we did very well in the last three months by changing eight players every three days.

“But I had recovered everyone and at that moment it was the best solution. I don't know what will happen between now and the end of the season.

“On Friday we had six days of work after Rome and in the last eight games we have almost always, apart from the Super Cup, been able to work in the right way. Now we know that will change, because we will play in 72 hours, and everything will be more difficult and complicated.

“As for the league, 20 days ago we were a point behind. Now we are at nine ahead from the second, we know that it's very easy for everything to change. We remain very focused, not looking at distant dates but at the match that comes.

“Now let's think about Atletico, then Lecce, hoping to have as few injuries as possible. Clearly playing every time a week is simpler, for recoveries and injuries, the boys work well and are monitored, from time to time I have to make difficult choices."

He added, “I could think of Porto in the Round of 16 last year, a very determined team. The coaches were both former teammates, we know that it will be a very difficult Round of 16.

“The boys know this, and we have tried to prepare as best we can ways, we have to be good at managing the moments of the match, but the boys have grown."

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