LONDON: Inter Milan coach Luciano Spalletti said he was not worried about the possible return to the Barcelona side of Lionel Messi ahead of his side’s Champions League clash against the Catalan club today.
The Argentine could make an earlier-than-expected return from a broken arm against the Italians at the San Siro.
But while he described Messi as the icing on Barcelona’s cake, Spalletti said he would not make any special changes to cope with the talisman’s possible return.
“Messi is the icing on the cake. His is the shirt that children who dream of being footballers ask for,” said Spalletti.
“But Barcelona have shown that even without him, they still have the mentality to develop their game, which is what makes the difference.
“It’s a worry for anyone if Messi plays, but the attitude doesn’t change.
“We’re facing one of the strongest clubs in the world in any case. We need to be better in our reading of the game, but we’re going to mark space, not men.”
Barcelona are top of Group B with maximum points from three games, ahead of Inter Milan who lost 2-0 in Spain.
A draw against Inter would guarantee the Spaniards qualification to the last 16 while victory would secure top spot, with two games still to spare.
Inter need a win to all but book their passage to the last 16 in a group which also includes Tottenham and PSV Eindhoven.
“It’s the time to show what we’re worth,” said Spalletti.
Inter Milan’s Luciano Spalletti not bothered by possible Lionel Messi return ahead of Barcelona battle
Inter Milan’s Luciano Spalletti not bothered by possible Lionel Messi return ahead of Barcelona battle
Marmoush, Salah strike as Egypt edge out holders Ivory Coast in quarter-final
- Egypt wasted little time in taking the lead as Marmoush scored in the fourth minute
- That set up a siege of the Egyptian goal in the final 15 minutes but they held out to advance
AGADIR, Morocco: Omar Marmoush netted the opener and Mohamed Salah scored the decisive goal as Egypt ended Ivory Coast’s reign with a narrow 3-2 triumph in Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
Center back Rami Rabia was the other scorer for the Egyptians, who had little possession at the Grande Stade Agadir but took their chances with clinical precision and held on grimly to book a semifinal meeting with Senegal on Wednesday.
An own goal from Ahmed Fatouh and a late effort by Guela Doue proved insufficient for the Ivory Coast, winners of the tournament on home soil two years ago but now deposed as African champions.
Egypt, who have won a record seven Cup of Nations titles, wasted little time in taking the lead as Marmoush scored in the fourth minute after Hamdi Fathy pinched the ball from Franck Kessie in the midfield, allowing Emam Ashour to thread a pinpoint ball to the sprinting Marmoush. He still needed to shrug off the attentions of defender Odilon Kossounou before slotting home.
But it quickly became clear the Ivorians were going to dominate possession, showing much more physical strength on the ball but without setting up clear chances.
Egypt went 2-0 up in the 32nd minute when Rabia rose above the defenders to head his side further ahead from a corner.
The Ivory Coast, who had 70 percent of possession in the first half, reduced the deficit eight minutes later when teenager Yann Diomande’s freekick near the corner took a slight brush off Kossounou’s head and ricocheted off the knee of full back Fatouh and into the net.
SALAH FINISHED OFF CLEVER MOVE
The Ivorians had come from 2-0 down to beat Gabon 3-2 earlier in the tournament but hopes of turning the scoreline around soon after the re-start were stymied by a simply created, but superbly finished, goal for Salah seven minutes after the break.
Rabia was well inside his own half when he chipped the ball over the top of the Ivorian defensive line, allowing Ashour to run onto it and hit an accurate pass with the outside of his right boot into the path of Salah to score.
An Ivorian comeback was still on when Doue touched home at the end of a goalmouth scramble in the 73rd minute.
That set up a siege of the Egyptian goal in the final 15 minutes but they held out to advance.
Earlier on Saturday, Nigeria overpowered Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech and will take on hosts Morocco in the other semifinal.
