Inter Milan Faces Feyenoord in Champions League Amid Injury Crisis

MILAN, ITALY – March 5, 2025 – Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi is poised to field his strongest squad for the UEFA Champions League clash against Feyenoord despite facing a wave of minor fitness issues. The match is scheduled to kick off at 17:45 GMT.

Inzaghi, 48, has reportedly decided to maintain his preferred 3-5-2 formation, dismissing speculation that the team might shift to a 4-4-2 setup. Alessandro Bastoni is expected to play on the left wing due to injuries affecting other players. Meanwhile, Hakan Calhanoglu is slated to start in midfield, showcasing his full fitness alongside Lautaro Martinez in the attacking line, while Mehdi Taremi is likely to sit out, as recent reports suggested.

Josep Martinez will step in as goalkeeper, replacing Yann Sommer, who remains sidelined with a thumb injury. The team is looking to extend an 11-game unbeaten run against Dutch teams in European competition, a streak that bolsters their confidence ahead of this critical match.

However, Inter must remain cautious of Feyenoord’s formidable home record at De Kuip. Under the management of Robin van Persie, Feyenoord demonstrated their capability by eliminating AC Milan in their recent knockout playoff and recording a decisive 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich during the league stage.

This latest meeting comes amid a mounting injury crisis for Inter, with key players Federico Dimarco, Carlos Augusto, Nicola Zalewski, and Matteo Darmian ruled out. This situation forces the team to utilize their remaining wing-backs strategically, resulting in Bastoni taking on a more advanced role to uphold the 3-5-2 formation.

Despite Marcus Thuram recovering from a muscular issue to join Lautaro Martinez on the front line, the squad is still hampered by injuries to Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and goalkeeper Yann Sommer, all of whom are not entirely fit. Joaquin Correa is also out of contention due to UEFA regulations.

Feyenoord, currently on their third head coach of the season after sacking Brian Priske on February 10, finds itself in a transitional phase. Van Persie debuted with a goalless draw against NEC Nijmegen before securing a win against AC Milan. However, they are also dealing with a lengthy list of injuries, with notable absences including Justin Bijlow, Quinten Timber, and Bart Nieuwkoop. Additionally, Calvin Stengs and several others are sidelined, leaving the squad in a precarious situation.

Previous encounters between these teams have been intense, with Feyenoord eliminating Inter in the UEFA Cup semi-finals in April 2002, where they won 1-0 after a 2-2 draw in Rotterdam.