According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Lionel Messi will start against Tottenham tonight. This means great news for Inter as it is a crucial game for the Nerazzurri’s Champions League hopes.
Inter must win or draw (if Spurs lose only) tonight in order to qualify to the round of 16! Inter’s fate is on Barcelona as the English side, Spurs, travel to Camp Nou in order to play the last match of the group stages.
If Tottenham manage to win, which is unlikely as Barcelona have a nearly perfect record at home, Inter will automatically get disqualified due to UEFA’s head to head.
On the other hand, Barcelona have already won the group and have nothing to play for. This leaves many Interisti worried that the Spanish side will deploy a “weaker” starting line up against the English side.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Thomas Vermaelen, Munir El Haddadi, Carles Aleñá and Juan Miranda will all be given a chance to start.
However, it also looks likely that Lionel Messi will play, as will Phillipe Coutinho, Arturo Vidal and Sergio Busquets.
Spurs, meanwhile, will play without Mousa Dembélé, Kieran Trippier, Juan Foyth, Davinson Sanchez, Victor Wanyama and Serge Aurier due to injuries and unavailability.
Harry Kane will start though, who has been rested by Mauricio Pochettino at the weekend.
Probable line-ups:
Barcelona: Cillessen; Semedo, Vermaelen, Lenglet, Miranda; Aleñá, Busquets, Vidal; Coutinho, Munir, Messi
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris; Walker-Peters, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Winks; Alli, Eriksen, Son; Kane
Source: Gazzetta dello Sport
