23:00. That's all we have time for ladies and gentlemen! I would like to thank you for tuning in to this VAVEL LIVE coverage of Inter - Wolfsburg, in which we saw Wolfsburg march on to the quarter-finals, dumping out an Inter side struggling for form and confidence. The result leaves Hecking feeling ecstatic, but Mancini will bear the brunt of criticism from the Italian media and Interisti as his side looked lost at times tonight. Thank you once again, and goodnight!
22:59. Finally, Hecking spoke highly of Inter despite two poor performances:
"Inter have tried in every way to fight as Mancini said, but we have always found the right answer and we shot back blow for blow. They do not think they can reproach nothing."
22:57. Hecking went on to speak highly of 'keeper Benaglio:
"The key for me was that we understand very well to keep up the pace of the game while taking very well in defense, Benaglio was decisive for our victories in Germany and at the San Siro, for him is a great season and have a goalkeeper as he gives confidence to the rest of the team."
22:55. Dieter Hecking has spoken to the media, and is very pleased with the performance of his players:
"We are very happy, not only for the result but also for performance, we knew it would be difficult, we were also a bit lucky, but we took advantage of opportunities and when they scored we were able to resist. I'm delighted to have won twice against Inter. To play in this stadium was fantastic, to win even more."
22:52. The draw for the quarter-final is Friday in Nyon, Switzerland, and the Wolves will be glued to their screens to see their next opponent. They will be confident in their ability against any side, and are a legitimate threat to overthrow the current champions Sevilla.
22:46. No comments from Hecking, but Wolfsburg Sporting Director Klaus Allofs asid the following about his team's progression:
"The team has fought sensationally, and deserved the 2-1 win. But we should not be so presumptuous as to think that we now dominate all the games"
22:36. Still waiting for comments from Wolfsburg boss Dieter Hecking. He is a man who many would fail to conside an elite coach, but the way he has his squad performing at such a consistent high level has defnitely turned some heads.
22:30. More from Roberto Mancini after Inter - Wolfsburg:
“We had the chances to score more goals, but once we went behind it all became far more difficult,” Mancini told Mediaset.
“We knew that we had to score two goals and not concede, but we never seem to end a match with a clean sheet . That changes the situation.
“Unfortunately we make mistakes and therefore concede goals. Wolfsburg are superior to us as a team right now, but the regret is that over two legs we gave them too many gifts.
“I probably haven’t been capable of teaching them what I want 100 per cent. The players are working hard and giving everything they’ve got.”
22:25. Hernanes speaking to Mediaset Premium after the game said this about his team's effort:
“It was not a good ending, the fans are right. We were eliminated, but we are patient. We did our best and had many chances but it was not enough. I’m sorry, we have to get back up now, it is not a good time but we will continue to work hard.”
22:15. Mancini is first to speak to the media. He said the following after his side crashed out with a whimper:
"The fans have every right to jeer. Wolfsburg at this time are more of a team."
FT: STAT: Inter Milan haven't won since their 1-0 victory against Celtic in the Europa League 22 days ago, while Wolfsburg have won eight of their last ten in all competitions.
FT: STAT: Wolfsburg's Vieirinha had more accurate crosses (i.e. met successfully by recipient) than the entire Inter team.
FT: Here are the match stats, which paint a rather one sided picture, completely opposite to the aggregate score.
FT: The season may be over in March for Inter Milan, who sit 8th in Serie A and eight points outside the top 5 domestically. Meanwhile, Wolfsburg go from strength to strength, and they are proving to be a real force in the football world with such talent in their ranks.
FT: Wolfsburg will play one of Napoli, Dynamo Kyiv, Fiorentina, Ajax/Dnipro, Club Brugge, Sevilla or Zenit in the last eight. None of those teams will want to face the Wolves after the last two games.
FT: On reflection, Inter definitely needed the first goal, and Caligiuri's early goal made their task too challenging. Questions will be asked of Roberto Mancini as his side lacked any tempo and real intent, while his options on the bench such as Shaqiri and Puscas remained untouched.
FT: Dieter Hecking's side put in a fighting performance to secure their progression into the last eight of the competition. A thoroughly deserved achievement by Wolfsburg, who were better in all departments.
FT: Well, that is the end of the dream for Mancini and his Inter Milan side. They go out with a wimper, a shadow of their former self, losing on the night by a score of 2-1, and a 5-2 aggregate score.
FULL TIME: INTER MILAN 1-2 WOLFSBURG (2-5 AGG) (CALIGIURI, 25'; PALACIO, 72'; BENDTNER, 89')
90+1': Into the two minutes added now, and a professional performance from the German outfit secures their progression.
89': GOAL: Game, set and match for Wolfsburg! Bendtner gets his first goal in 10 games with a sweet volley that Carrizo can only parry into the net.
89': GOAL! INTER MILAN 1-2 WOLFSBURG - NICKLAS BENDTNER.
86': Yellow: Medel now goes in the book as he gets his own back on Arnold with an arial shove just moments after the initial incident.
86': Yellow: Arnold picks up a prompt caution as he kicks out at Medel following a sliding challenge from the Chilean.
85': SUBSTITUTION (WOLFSBURG): ARNOLD > VIEIRINHA.
84': Yellow: De Bruyne picks up the first caution as his poor touch resulted in a mistimed challenge. Free-kick for Inter on the right corner of the box, but Hernanes whips it out for a throw in.
82': A neat one-two between Perisic and Trasch allows the former to cross towards Bendtner, but his bundled effort is collected by Carrizo.
80': The crowd is alive as Inter win a corner. However, it drifts over everyone and Wolfsburg can bring it away.
78': Will we see the introduction of Xherdan Shaqiri? Mancini clearly not willing to risk him yet, but he may provide the much needed spark.
77': Definitely more intensity about Internazionale now, but they need a goal quickly. Hernanes with a drive that Benaglio saves comfortably.
74': Kuzmanovic rises at the far post but heads well over, and lands awkwardly. If only Inter had taken one of their early half chances...
73': SUBSTITUTION (WOLFSBURG): PERISIC > CALIGIURI.
72': GOAL: A glimour of hope for Inter? Wonderful flick from Hernanes to gives Palacio the chance after he continued his run, and he bundles it in. It was going to be him if anyone. Game on?
71': GOAL! INTER 1-1 WOLFSBURG - RODRIGO PALACIO.
68': Chance! The ball just will not go in for Inter! This time Hernanes comes close, rolling the ball wide of the right post.
67': SUBSTITUTION (INTER): D'AMBROSIA > CAMPAGNARO.
67': De Bruyne with a chance to completely put the tie to bed for Wolfsburg, but he squares back to Vieirinha when he should have perhaps shot.
65': Chance! A wonderful save from Benalgio after a driving run from Rodrigo Palacio, who cut in from the left before shooting low. They are running out of time fast, but if anyone is going to get them back into the game, it looks like it will be Palacio.
64': On cometh 'Lord Bendtner', who hasn't scored in ten appearances, but has a big chance to get one here.
63': SUBSTITUTION (WOLFSBURG): BENDTNER > DOST.
62': Wolfsburg looking for of energy and aggresion, while Inter look sapped of ideas and enthusiasm.
59': Palacio drifting out wide again, and in aiming for Kuzmanovic he finds Hernanes at the near post who heads well over.
57': Dieter Hecking must be pleased with the way his Wolfsburg side are playing. Fluid, one-touch football, looking threatening every time they move up field.
55': SUBSTITUTION (INTER): KUZMANOVIC > KOVAČIC.
53': Inter Milan have scored four goals twice this season, against Sassuolo and Atalanta. These were the stats at half time in this evening's game:
51': Chance! Wolfsburg break with De Bruyne, and he tries to square to a wide open Bas Dost, but Carrizo is alert and cuts it out.
49': Wolfsburg still looking very comfortable. Not much tempo from Inter, who now need to really force the game.
46': We are back underway! Mission impossible for Mancini's Inter. No changes at half-time.
HT: The teams are back out, almost ready to resume at the San Siro.
HT: Wolfsburg in pole position to advance thanks to a goal from Daniel Caligiuri, his ninth of the year.
HT: So, Inter have it all to do in the second half, having made the situation even more impossible for themselves with a disappointing first 45 minutes.
HALF TIME: INTER MILAN 0-1 WOLFSBURG - (CALIGIURI, 25')
45+1': In the dying seconds of the first half, a half chance for Inter to get a foothold in the game through Icardi's knockdown. However, yet again, it's scrambled clear.
45': Chance! Guarin steals in after sloppy defending from Wolfsburg, but again Benaglio is equal to the effort as he saves for a corner.
43': Half chance for Wolfsburg as Bas Dost peels off Juan Jesus at the near post, but his flick goes out for a goal kick. Shots on goal tied at 6-6 so far.
42': De Bruyne with an audacious volley. If that had gone in, it would have been goal of his career surely.
41': Wolfsburg certainly have the look of a side brimming with confidence, having lost just one of their last 18 games.
36': Kovačić is seeing a lot of the ball here in the first half. He has another shot, curling about two yards wide of the right post from the edge of the area.
35': Icardi with a flicked header towards goal, but easily collected by Benaglio.
33': Luis Gustavo with a stinging strike that Carrizo saves easily. All Wolfsburg pressure seems to stem from the freedom De Bruyne is being allowed in midfield.
31': Campagnaro, who was slow to react for the Wolfsburg cross, curls in a cross that is flicked on to Kovačić. His weak header found Palacio who was offside, but the Croatian should have done better with his initial effort.
28': Kovačić with another chance for Inter as he sizes up an effort but leans back and drives it over the bar.
27': Now, Inter require three goals. Kovačić drifts in a nice cross from the left, but it drifts behind for a corner. You feel Mancini's side need a goal before half time.
25': GOAL: A vital away goal for Wolfsburg, but you have to feel sorry for Carrizo. Caligiuri gets his ninth goal of the year with a shot that Carrizo did well to save initially, but the ricochet takes the ball into the net. Is that game over?
25': GOAL! Inter Milan 0-1 Wolfsburg - Daniel Caligiuri.
23': Great save! The ball falls to Icardi ten yards out, and he tries to curl one inside the right post, but Benaglia is equal to it with a wonderful diving save to prevent the score being 1-0 Inter.
20': Ranocchia forced to intervene as De Bruyne sends in a teasing low cross for Dost. Moments later, Gustavo crosses marginally too deep for the target man.
18': Clattenburg not making friends here with the blue half of Milan. Low cross from Santon clearly blocked for a corner; referee signals goal kick.
17': Everyone but Dost back behind the ball for Wolfsburg. Patience and probing required from Inter.
12': Icardi volleys over with space near the corner of the box. All Inter at the moment, as expected with the situation of the game.
9': Big chance! De Bruyne receives the ball and slots through Bas Dost, but the Dutchman takes a heavy touch and Carrizo collects at the second attempt! Should be 1-0 Wolfsburg.
7': STAT: Wolfsburg playing in just their 60th European match, while Inter have played five times as many.
6': Another half chance, this time for Wolfsburg. Caligiuri hits a half volley into the ground following a deep cross, but it goes over the bar. Frantic start here!
6': Inter playing that high pressure game just as they did in the first leg. Palacio winning a corner now after the ball was won back on the right.
4': Chance! Hernanes struts towards goal, drops the shoulder, and unleashes a fierce curling shot that is palmed away well by Benaglio.
2': Bas Dost with half a chance, as he hesitates pulling the trigger and instead gives away a cheap foul.
1': We are underway! Inter Milan in their bright blue European third shirt, kicking towards the Curva Nord, with Wolfsburg in white.
20:01. The teams make their way onto the pitch, just moments away from kick-off here! It's Inter vs Wolfsburg LIVE!
19:59. Zanetti featured on December 9th, 1997, when Inter overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Strasbourg, winning 3-0 at the Meazza to progress. They eventually won the UEFA Cup that season, beating Lazio 3-0 in the final in Paris.
19:55. Just 10 minutes from kick-off here at the San Siro, and former Inter captain and club legend Javier Zanetti had some inspirational words for the Nerazzurri.
“To achieve the 'Great Comeback' we must first believe, then be focused, be aggressive and play every ball making it clear to your opponents who you are and where you’re going. Then one play could be enough: if you score first it becomes another game and against Wolfsburg going to halftime with 1-0 could be enough to give the Germans doubts.”
19:45. Estimations state around 40,000 Interisti will be in attendance tonight, while 1,500 have made the trip from North Germany to cheer on the Wolves. The crowd will be an important factor tonight, and if the blue and black manage to get an early goal then Wolfsburg will feel the full voice of the Curva Nord.
19:42. Robin Knoche gets the start at CB for Wolfsburg. The 22-year-old has 22 appearances this season, and the Braunschweig-born defender has two goals in this campaign. A promising young asset, he has appeared eight times for Germany at U21 level.
19:40. The Croatian international arrived from Dinamo Zagreb for a fee believed to be £9.68million, and extended his contract at Inter to 2019 back in January, but has Premier League interest.
19:37. Rumoured Arsenal target Mateo Kovačić is given the go ahead to fill the spot left by Shaqiri. The 20-year-old starlet has appeared 33 times this year, scoring eight goals including three in the Europa League.
19:35. Despite not being fit enough to start, Xherdan Shaqiri starts on the bench for Internazionale, along with former Manchester United defender and summer acquisition Nemanja Vidić, who has fallen out of favour with Mancini.
19:32. In his last European appointment, Clattenburg handed out nine bookings during Basel’s 1-1 draw with Porto in the Champions League back on February 18th. In October 2014, he was suspended for one weekend after breaking protocol to attend an Ed Sheeran concert.
19:30. Tonight’s referee in an all-English crew is Mark Clattenburg. The 40-year-old took charge of Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, dishing out two cautions. His assistant’s are Simon Beck and Jake Collin, while Stuart Burt is the fourth official.
19:26. Andre Schürrle is relegated to the bench after struggling to find his form at Wolfsburg. Starting in his place is Portuguese midfielder Vieirinha, who has one goal in 20 appearances this season.
19:23. Another man looking to make a big impact is Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian has been superb for Wolfsburg so far this season, scoring 14 goals and amassing 23 assists in 37 appearances for the Wolves. Look for him to be dangerous on the counter attack as the visitors search for their own vital away goal.
19:20. The stage is set for Argentinian sensation Mauro Icardi to power Inter into the last eight. Having bagged four goals in the competition already, as well as 15 in Serie A, it is not surprise he starts tonight for Inter.
19:18. Having moved on deadline day January 2013, Carrizo has made just five appearances for the Nerazzurri, and is a divisive figure amongst Interisti supporters, with most preferring the number one Samir Handanović.
19:16. “I don’t feel any pressure for tomorrow,” said the Argentine international in an interview with Forza Italian Football. He has not conceded a goal at home yet this season in four games.
“Of course I was disappointed and saddened after our result during the first leg, but now I’m feeling calm and peaceful.”
19:14. Juan Pablo Carrizo starts in goal for Inter, after been given the backing of boss Roberto Mancini. The 30-year-old made a few costly errors in the 3-1 first-leg defeat, but said he is not thinking of what happened in that game.
19:10. Here's a look at the starting line-ups tonight in visual form, courtesy of Soccerway.
19:04. - Wolfsburg Bench: Grun, Bendtner, Schafer, Perisic, Schürrle, Jung, Arnold.
19:03. - Inter Bench: Handanovic, Vidic, Kuzmanovic, Obi, Puscas, D'Ambrosio, Shaqiri.
19:02 - Wolfsburg (4-2-3-1): Benagliio; Trasch, Knoche, Klose, Rodriguez; Guilavogui, Luiz Gustavo; Vieirinha, De Bruyne, Caligiuri; Dost.
19:01. - Inter (4-3-1-2): Carrizo; Campagnaro, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus, Santon; Guarin, Medel, Hernanes: Kovacic; Palacio, Icardi.
19:00. TEAM NEWS
19:05. We're only an hour away from kick-off in this evening's Europa League Last 16 second-leg tie. Stay tuned for team news, which we'll have shortly.
19:00. Meanwhile for Wolfsburg, former Chelsea man Andre Schurrle has admitted he is struggling to adapt after his winter move away from the Premier League club."I have not done much in the past few weeks and I realise now that I am stuck in a hole, but that's normal. Now I need a few weeks to get back on form, and it is no bad thing that I can come off the bench."
18:57. He was also wary that his Inter side must not concede first or they are essentially out of the competition.
“We’ll have to be solid from the start, making sure we don’t concede or risk anything, there’s no need to hurry as the game lasts 90 minutes. When you concede goals there are a lot of reasons, there’s an explanation for each goal. We often run the risk of letting the opposition take the lead, and against Wolfsburg tomorrow we absolutely must not do that or we’re out.”
18:55. Back to tonight’s game, and Inter captain Andrea Ranocchia called on fans to turn up in numbers to help them overturn the deficit in an interview yesterday.
“Maybe they’ll be relaxed after the score in the first leg, but I’m sure our fans will help us a lot. Tomorrow we play to make the Quarter Finals, it’s a qualification decider, for us and for them. I hope the stadium will be packed, we need their [Inter fans’] support from the first minute to the last.”
18:53. Tonight’s game will be played at the beautiful Giusseppe Meazza stadium in Milan. More commonly known as the San Siro, the 80018 capacity stadium is officially named after the Inter Milan legend Meazza, who appeared almost 350 times for the club scoring 241 goals. Built in 1925, the stadium saw it’s highest attendance in 1997 when Inter hosted Schalke and 83381 people witnessed the last ever second leg of a UEFA Cup Final. Schalke eventually won 4-1 on penalties after a 1-0 Inter win meant it was 1-1 on aggregate, but the format changed after this to a one-off game at a neutral ground.
18:50. Team news: For the visiting side, defender Naldo will miss out through suspension, and he will be a big miss after his first leg goal. Aaron Hunt will miss out with a knee problem, while Patrick Drewes is also expected to be sidelined. Prolific Dutch centre-forward Bas Dost should start for Wolfsburg, and with 13 goals in 14 Bundesliga games, and well as two in six in the Europa League, he will feel confident leading the forward line.
18:47. Team news: For the home side, it appears as though Mancini will not allow attacking midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri to play through an injury he sustained against Cesena. The Swiss international has been kept under close observation for the last 48 hours, but it appears he will not be risked. The Inter boss will have almost a full squad to pick from, with the only other injury absentee being Yuto Nagatomo, who is out with a thigh problem. Chelsea and Manchester United target and Serie A leading scorer Mauro Icardi is available for selection, and with 20 goals in all competitions this year (including four in the Europa League) he is a real threat to the Wolfsburg back line.
18:45. The Wolves will be hoping to make their 2009 campaign history as well. They were put out by Paris Saint Germain, losing 2-0 and 1-3 to crash out 5-1 on aggregate in the round of 32. Despite being in a much better position this time round, the visitors must be wary as the away goal for Inter could prove to be crucial.
18:43. Inter Milan are no strangers to overturning first leg deficits, of course. In 2013, they brought home a 3-0 first leg defeat against Spurs in the Europa League last 16 clash, but in dramatic style clawed in back with a superb 90 minutes at the San Siro. Goals from Cassano, Palacio and Gallas (og) took the game to extra time, but Adebayor’s 96th minute strike was enough to down the Nerazzurri, who despite Alvarez’ late goal lost on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate score.
18:41. One of the key players in any game for Wolfsburg is Kevin De Bruyne, and his coach Dieter Hecking was full of praise for the 23-year-old after his latest match winning contribution.
"I'm lost for words to describe Kevin, he makes the difference. He wants to play, score goals and set them up. He also wants to win and that's precisely the sort of player you need if you want to go a long way in all competitions.”
18:39. Inter boss Roberto Mancini remains hopeful that his side can still progress despite a damaging first leg defeat.
"We need one of those nights where we simply make something happen. Wolfsburg are a good team and there’s a reason why they’re second in the Bundesliga, but if we put in a great performance we can get through to the next round.”
18:37. The game a fortnight ago was the first time the two sides had met in a UEFA competition, and the win for Wolfsburg was the first they had ever recorded against an Italian side. It will not be the first visit to the San Siro for Dieter Hecking’s side though, as they drew 2-2 against AC Milan in the group stages of the 2008/09 UEFA Cup.
18:35. The first leg of this last-16 encounter was really a tale of two halves. Inter started the game the better side, and looked energetic and more characteristic of some of the great sides that have donned the Nerazzurri. They took a deserved 5th minute lead when Palacio finished after D’Ambrosio pressured Schurrle and Icardi slid in the Argentine Palacio to make it 1-0. However, Naldo got a 28th minute equaliser with a header from a corner, before Kevin De Bruyne bagged goals in the 63rd and 75th minutes as Wolfsburg ensured they came storming back after the early setback. As a result, it is the German side who take a 3-1 aggregate lead into tonights second leg.
18:32. Wolfsburg swept aside their relegation threatened opponents Freiburg with a comprehensive 3-0 win on Sunday. Kevin De Bruyne was the star of the show as he scored the opener in the 19th minute, before winning a 78th minute penalty the Rodriguez converted and setting up Arnold for an 84th minute sealer.
18:30. Inter Milan - Wolfsburg is really the tale of contrasting sides, and this is reflected in the last games of the reflective sides. In Inter’s last game, they were held at the San Siro by newly promoted Cesena, who came into the game under real relegation threat. However, Cesena took the lead through Gregoire Defrel before Rodrigo Palacio saved Mancini’s side with his equaliser in the 48th minute. They should have gone on to win, with Podolski hitting the post when he could have bagged his first Inter goal, but were forced to settle for a point.
18:28. Wolfsburg, on the other hand, have been nothing short of sensational in the Bundesliga this season. Sitting in second place behind the seemingly unstoppable Bayern Munich, the Wolves have 53 points from just 25 games, winning 16 of those and scoring 56 goals in the process. They still sit 11 points behind Bayern, but after hammering them 4-1 in the first game of the Rückrunde they will feel anything is possible with 27 points still to play for.
18:25. Domestically, it is fair to say that Inter Milan have struggled in Serie A this season, struggling to live up to some of the names in their squad. Sitting 8th in the table with just 36 points from 27 games, the Nerazzurri can only take solace from the fact they haven't performed as badly as their Milanese rivals. They trail 5th place Fiorentina by eight points, and have won just nine games all season.
18:22: Wolfsburg finished second in their group but still amassed 10 points from the six games. At home, they drew with Lille (1-1), beat Krasnodar (5-1) and lost to Everton (0-2), while recording away wins at Krasnodar and Lille (2-4 and 0-3 respectively) but losing to Everton again (4-1).
18:20. The visitors tonight for Inter - Wolfsburg reached the last 16 with a 2-0 aggregate win over Sporting Lisbon, winning the first leg 2-0 before holding out for a 0-0 at the José Alvalade to progress.
18:16. This came after the Italian side had finished top of Group F with 12 points, including wins over Dnipro (0-1 and 2-1) and Qarabag (2-0) whilst drawing the other three group games. Inter have only failed to win at home once in the Europa League this season, while their only defeat in the whole competition was away at Wolfsburg in the first leg of this tie.
18:14. The home side tonight Inter Milan reached this stage of the competition thanks to a late strike from Fredy Guarin, as Inter defeated Celtic 1-0 at the San Siro on February 26th, winning 4-3 on aggregate after a thrilling first leg.
18:05. Hello and welcome to VAVEL UK’s live commentary of this crucial Europa League knockout stage encounter between Inter Milan and Wolfsburg. It is Thursday, March 19th, and we’ll be giving you minute-by-minute coverage of Inter - Wolfsburg, as Roberto Mancini’s side look to overcome a two-goal first leg deficit against Dieter Hecking’s Wolfsburg side. It promises to be an interesting game, and we’ll have all the build-up with you in the coming hours. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:05pm.