By beating Feyenoord again in the second leg, Inter has secured qualification to the Champions League quarter-finals. It was a qualification never truly in doubt, with the Nerazzurri clearly demonstrating their superiority over the Dutch side on the pitch. However, the evening at San Siro had not started in the best possible manner, notably due to De Vrij’s injury during warm-up.
As later revealed by the player himself post-match, it was a knee problem that forced him to withdraw before kick-off, with Acerbi stepping in as his replacement in the starting lineup. De Vrij subsequently didn’t even sit on the bench, having instead followed the game from the stands.
Why De Vrij didn’t stay on the bench for Inter-Feyenoord
De Vrij’s absence from the technical area wasn’t a decision made by Inzaghi and his coaching staff due to concerns over the defender’s physical condition. Rather, it stemmed from a specific requirement in UEFA’s regulations for the Champions League. These regulations stipulate that once a player is listed in the initial starting lineup, in the event of an injury during warm-up, he is permitted to be present only in the stands, not on the bench.
