{"id":205470,"date":"2025-10-11T16:12:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T16:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/205470\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T16:12:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T16:12:09","slug":"why-inter-and-atletico-madrid-played-mid-season-friendly-in-libya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/205470\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Inter and Atletico Madrid played mid-season friendly in Libya"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Atletico<\/p>\n

Atletico Madrid and Inter during a mid-season friendly in Libya (via www.inter.it)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Inter<\/a> and Atletico Madrid raised eyebrows by playing a mid-season friendly out in Libya while the majority of their first-team squads were away on international duty, and the reason behind the match being played in North Africa appears to be largely financially motivated.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With a large chunk of the Nerazzurri squad currently away on international duty, Cristian Chivu organised a mid-season friendly and warm weather training camp for his remaining players, against Atletico Madrid in Libya on Tuesday evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The two sides met at the Benghazi International Stadium on Friday evening. Chivu named a side that featured first-team regulars in Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, Matteo Darmian, Andy Diouf, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ange-Yoan Bonny. There was also an opportunity to test a number of U23 players on the night as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AtleticoAtletico Madrid and Inter during a mid-season friendly in Libya (via www.inter.it)<\/p>\n

The friendly ended in a 1-1 draw with goals from Carlos Martin and the aforementioned Bisseck, who provided a second-half equaliser with a header from a corner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why did Inter and Atletico Madrid play in Libya?\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to reports from Corriere della Sera (via fcinternews.it<\/a>), the decision to play the friendly in Libya, rather than in Italy or Spain, was largely due to financial reasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AtleticoAtletico Madrid and Inter during a mid-season friendly in Libya.<\/p>\n

The match was financed by the Libya Development and Reconstruction fund, and it is estimated that the Nerazzurri profited to the tune of around \u20ac4m for their one-off friendly against Atletico.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Inter team against Atletico\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here is how the two teams lined up for their mid-season friendly in Benghazi on Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Atletico (5-3-2): Musso; Pubill, J.M.Gimenez (C.Gimenez), Lenglet, Ruggeri, Galan (Kostis; Puric); Gallagher, Koke, Almada (Barrios); Griezmann, Carlos Martin (Serrano).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Inter (3-5-2): J.Martinez; Bisseck, Acerbi, Palacios (Cinquegrano); Darmian, Diouf (Zarate), Bovo (Kaczmarski), Mkhitaryan (Venturini), L.Henrique; Bonny (Agbonifo), Spinacce (Lavelli).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Players away with national teams:\u00a0Barella, Bastoni, Dimarco, F.P. Esposito, Frattesi (Italy), L.Martinez (Argentina), Sucic (Croatia), De Vrij, Dumfries (Netherlands), Zielinski (Poland), Akanji (Switzerland), Calhanoglu (Turkey), C.Augusto (Brazil).\u00a0<\/p>\n


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