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Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk meet in the second semi-final of the UEFA Europa League 2019-20 tonight at the Merkur Spielarena for a spot in the final, where the winner will be greeted by five-time champions, Sevilla.
As of now, Inter Milan have endured nine trophyless seasons and after falling short in the Serie A by just one point behind champions Juventus this season, they will be hoping to go all the way in the continental tournament.
Heading into the fixture, both teams are almost on par when it comes to form. The Italian side is unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions while the Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk have not lost in their previous 11 outings.
In their previous meeting in the 2005-06 Champions League qualifying phase, Inter won 3-1 on aggregate across two legs but when these sides meet again tonight the stakes will be much higher.
In this one-off semi-final, every player needs to be at his best and here we take a look at the 5 players who can make a difference in the game.
Five key players to watch out for in Inter Milan's semi-final clash against Shakhtar Donetsk
#5 Alan Patrick (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Shakhtar Donetsk have always had a strong Brazilian contingent in their squad and to their credit, the players have always delivered. This season too, the skilful players from the nation that lives and breathes football have been crucial to their domestic success and the unbeaten run in the Europa League.
One of the players who is often overlooked is midfielder Alan Patrick, who makes the midfield tick with his quick layoffs and distribution. Patrick has three goals in five Europa League appearances but playing as a No.10 he is mostly involved in creating chances for his side as evident from his two key passes per 90 and 90.3 % pass success.
#4 Diego Godin (Inter Milan)
Veteran defender Diego Godin is likely to play an important role against Shakhtar, a side that has scored 2.8 goals on average in the competition. Godin has been solid at the back in their Europa League campaign, starting in all the four games as they conceded only two goals.
Godin has mostly started at the right of a three-man defence in Antonio Conte's 3-5-2 system and will likely be pitted against Taison. Though the Brazilian attacking midfielder can beat Godin for pace he is no match for his aerial prowess and well-timed tackles.
He has 3.3 aerial duels per 90 in the tournament, more than twice of any of Shakhtar's forwards while he has only been dribbled past 0.5 times per game. The Uruguayan has made three successful tackles every game, so he is well suited to neutralise the attacking threat from the Ukrainian side.
Conte will also be hoping for Godin to provide a commanding voice in the back and use his experience to help his side keep their nerves to make it into their first European final since the 2009-10 season.
Also See: Top 10 signings of the season | Serie A 2019-20
#3 Júnior Moraes (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Luis Castro’s side has a formidable attack, spearheaded by striker Júnior Moraes who had 17 goals and seven assists in the domestic league and at 33, the Brazil-born Ukrainian international can be considered a late bloomer.
He has started every single game for the club in the competition and is their top goal contributor with five goals as well as one assist. His goals have helped his club win their fourth consecutive league title and his current form also gives them the confidence of beating the resilient Inter Milan tonight.
This season, Moraes' goals have been especially crucial for Shakhtar and in an unusual trend, the club has not lost any game in which he has found the back of the net. So will his goal-scoring exploits and as a result, Shakhtar's unbeaten run continue against Inter as well? We'll find out tonight.
#2 Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan)
Nicolò Barella might've only scored four goals across all competitions, one in each but his contributions in the midfield present a telling picture of how well he fits into Inter's current set-up.
The 23-year-old’s intelligent movement provides his side with the ability to open up spaces behind the opponents and allows for the wing-backs to assume forward positions and work the ball in from the flanks.
As a central midfielder, he helps provide the side with a fine balance often providing cover for Brozovic as a secondary defensive midfielder and aiding Gagliardini in moving the ball forward. He is young and full of energy and his ability to maintain an intense press will be key in keeping the pressure on Shakhtar.
#1 Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan)
Manchester United crashed out of the semi-finals yesterday and for Romelu Lukaku, who secured a move away from the club last summer for £73 million to revive his career, making it into the final with Inter Milan would be the greatest vindication he can imagine.
He is having one of the finest debut seasons for an Inter player, with his goal tally only bettered by the great Ronaldo Nazario's 34 from the 1997-98. He has 31 goals and five assists across all competition and his success is mostly credited to the 3-5-2 system in which he partners up with Lautaro Martinez, a striker who is not afraid to do all the running off the ball.
He has not failed to score in a Europa League game since 2014 and it's expected that the towering Belgian will be on target tonight as well, helping his side secure a date with Sevilla at the RheinEnergieStadion on Friday.
Also See: Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction, preview, team news and more | UEFA Europa League 2019-20
