Inter putting away day blues behind them for Porto decider, says Calhanoglu

Hakan Calhanoglu said Monday that Inter Milan are not thinking about their dreadful away form as they try to get past Porto and reach the Champions League quarter finals.

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Inter are 1-0 up from the first leg at the San Siro and need a performance in Portugal on Tuesday if they are to reach the last eight for the first time since 2011.

Simone Inzaghi’s side have only won once away from home since the turn of the year and fell to an embarrassing defeat at lowly Spezia at the weekend.

“What’s happened has happened, we’re not thinking about it. Our season in Europe has been good, we’ve played well against good teams. Tomorrow we’re going to try and get to the quarter-finals… we’re only thinking about tomorrow,” midfielder Calhanoglu told reporters.

“It would be great for the team and the club to get through. We know that tomorrow is a huge match, I know what kind of atmosphere there will be because I’ve played here before.”

Porto are gunning for a third quarter-final in five seasons and have done well against Italian teams in recent years. 

With Inzaghi’s former Lazio teammate Sergio Conceicao in the dugout Porto are aiming to add to a series of Serie A scalps which includes Juventus and Roma.

Elimination on Tuesday would heap pressure on Inzaghi with fierce rivals Juventus visiting the San Siro on Sunday.

“The way we played in that match and what we created, that kind of result comes about every 500 matches,” said Inzaghi.

“We’re second in the league, in the Italian Cup semi-finals and have the second leg of a last 16 tie to play. We have to stick together.”

He is sweating on the condition of centre-back Milan Skriniar, who has been out with back pain for over two weeks and returned to team training on Tuesday.

“I know what he has done to make himself available for tomorrow’s game,” added Inzaghi. 

“He hasn’t been able to train since the first leg. He’s a great player but he’s been out for two weeks.”