Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Southampton boss Claude Puel urges players to take advantage of under pressure Inter Milan
CLAUDE PUEL has told his Southampton players to keep their cool in a toxic San Siro on Thursday.
Balotelli scores AGAIN in Europa League for Nice
Only six years after plying their trade in League One, Saints face one of the biggest games in their history against Italian giants Inter Milan whose fans are furious with captain Mauro Icardi.
The Argentine striker slammed Inter’s Ultras in his autobiography, which led to them unveiling an offensive banner and cheering when he missed a penalty at the weekend.
And Puel believes the disorderly crowd will help his side to pull off a shock. The Frenchman said: “When a team needs points in the championship or in a cup the fans are sometimes angry and it’s the same for all the clubs.
The Serbian said: “It is a big opportunity for us. This is a big club. If they don’t win one or two games there is pressure. Doesn’t matter for them they want to win every match but so do we.
“For us it is just another match. We are professional, we are focused on every match. Coach teaches us that the story is just for that match and be focused.”
SOUTHAMPTON: (4-1-2-1-2): Forster; Martina, van Dijk, Yoshida, McQueen; Romeu; Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg; Tadic; Long, Rodriguez
INTER MILAN: (4-2-3-1): Handanovic; Santon, Miranda, Murillo, Nagatomo; Medel, Brozovic; Candreva, Banega, Eder; Icardi
Referee: Gediminas Mazeika (Lithuania)
TV: BT Sport 6pm
Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?