Three weeks ago, in the first leg of the round-of-16 matches, Inter Milan was defeated by Bayern Munich at the last moment in their home ground, putting them in an unfavorable situation. Facing the upcoming second leg, Coach Leonardo expressed great confidence: "The result of the first match could have been different. We created a lot of opportunities during the game, and if Inter had won, it wouldn't have been surprising. Tomorrow, we will start anew, and I am very optimistic about the outcome of the game because I understand the energy of this team and the strong willpower of the players."
"International Milan's and Bayern Munich's recent games' video footage, I've watched at least three times," Leonardo said, "I've studied and learned a lot from it. However, every game has its own uniqueness, and the process can change continuously based on the situation on the field. To win the game, you must perform at your best competitive state at the right time." When talking about Inter's current state, Coach Leonardo said: "The team's desire to win is very strong. We hope to continue in the competition. This is the charm of the Champions League: we are already one of the best clubs in Europe, and if we can ultimately defeat other teams to win, it would be even better. The prestige of the Champions League inspires the boys; they have confidence in successfully advancing away from home."
At the end of the press conference, defender Yuto Nagatomo became the focus. On one hand, people felt sorry for the earthquake disaster that occurred in Japan, while on the other hand, they praised Nagatomo's continuous excellent performances recently. Leonardo also gave him high praise: "Even in such a crucial game as the round-of-16 match of the Champions League, I believe Yuto Nagatomo can still effortlessly display a high level of play because his international tournament experience is very rich. At the beginning of this year, Yuto Nagatomo also helped the Japanese national team win the Asian Cup in fierce competition. Since Nagatomo joined Inter Milan in the winter, he has made great progress, which you all can see with your own eyes, and he is still growing, especially in terms of mental maturity, which can be seen from his unwavering belief in winning the game."
"My career as a player doesn't have much to talk about," Leonardo continued, "but as a coach, leading Inter Milan makes me feel happy because I am leading a great team. We will not consider any possibility of failure; everyone will step onto the field with a positive attitude, and that's enough."
In the early hours of Wednesday Beijing Time, the second leg of the round-of-16 matches of this season's UEFA Champions League is about to begin, and Inter Milan and Bayern Munich will engage in the final battle at the Allianz Arena for a place in the quarterfinals. Due to the 0-1 loss in the first leg at home, Inter Milan must win this match to advance, which puts considerable pressure on the visiting Nerazzurri. However, at the pre-match press conference, Coach Leonardo expressed full confidence in the team.
Subsequently, Coach Leonardo briefly introduced the injury situation within the team: "In the next couple of days, we will assess the injuries of players like Lucio and others. The players' mental states are also within our evaluation scope. At this stage, the Champions League matches are a great test for the players, and we need to make adequate preparations in all aspects." Although Inter's official website announced a day before that Milito would stay in Milan, reality proved that Inter's official site had deceived the world because Milito traveled with the whole team to Munich and appeared on the training field with his teammates. According to 'TuttoMercatoWeb', Cambiasso, Motta, and Lucio will appear in the starting lineup, but Milito's status is still uncertain, and he may be the biggest surprise in the game.