Inter must stop Yamal to reach Champions League final, says Bastoni

Yamal starred for Hansi Flick's team in the first leg, netting a stunning solo goal as Barcelona fought back to draw 3-3 at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys last week.

Indeed, the Spaniard became just the second teenager to score in the last 16, quarter-final and semi-final within a single Champions League campaign, after Kylian Mbappe for Monaco in 2016-17.

Yamal has netted six goals in the competition this season. Only Erling Haaland (10 in 2019-20), Mbappe (six in 2016-17) and Raul (six in 1995-96) have scored more in a single season before turning 20.

His 44 shots, 19 shots on target and 78 dribbles are also the most Opta has on record since 2003-04 by a teenager in a single Champions League campaign.

And Bastoni, who faced Yamal at last year's European Championships, expressed his admiration for the 17-year-old's rapid progression since.

"I had already faced him with Spain, and he was not yet at this level," Bastoni told a press conference on Monday.

"I was impressed by the level he reached, for his age and ability to create incredible things on the pitch. I think he is among the best in the world right now.

"We'll have to double, maybe triple (mark) him like we did at times in the first leg, but without exaggerating, otherwise we would create too many spaces. Barcelona is not just Yamal."

The electrifying first leg, that was filled with early drama and late chaos, has set the stage for a thrilling second leg at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday.

Indeed, their previous match was the joint-highest score draw in a Champions League semi-final game, alongside Dyanmo Kyiv's 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich in the first leg back in 1998-99.

It was just the third time that Inter had failed to win a Champions League game, having led by two or more goals.

Inter,, however, are unbeaten in their last 15 home Champions League matches (W12 D3), their best unbeaten home streak in major European competition since a run of 27 between 1980 and 1987, but Bastoni acknowledged the task ahead of him.

The 26-year-old Italian likened their second-leg encounter to "game seven in the NBA finals".

"It's 50-50, all open, and I think it will be a similar game from the first leg so I'm glad that we will play in front of our fans," Bastoni said.

"I can only be proud of how far we have come. We are two games away from winning the Champions League. It is our goal, we really want to make a good impression, to make the people who follow us happy.

"We are sure that our fans will give us a big hand at the San Siro. We live for moments like this."

Inter manager Inzaghi agreed with Bastoni's comments, revealing that their defensive strategy would focus on nullifying the threat of Yamal.

"(Defending Yamal) is very difficult, we'll have to try not to let him get the ball, but that's impossible in modern football," Inzaghi said.

"He'll be closely marked, he'll be double-marked, and we'll try to be careful. However, as I said in the first leg, having seen him live, he's a huge talent: at his age, he's really dangerous.

"In difficult moments, they hand him the ball, and I was impressed by his quick thinking. When he receives the ball, he already knows what to do next."

17 - At 17 years and 291 days, Lamine Yamal is the youngest player to score in a @ChampionsLeague semi-final, surpassing Kylian Mbappé in 2017 (18 years and 140 days).Leader. pic.twitter.com/TOR97CXBx3

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 30, 2025

Inzaghi was also on hand to provide an injury update on Benjamin Pavard and captain Lautaro Martinez.

Pavard has missed the last two games with an ankle issue, while Martinez went off at half-time in last week's draw with Barca.

The Inter boss confirmed that both players were both back in training, but was unsure on their involvement in Tuesday's match.

"We will decide on Lautaro (Martinez) and Pavard together with the medical staff and the players. They will have to tell me how they feel," Inzaghi said.