Inter Milan and Bayern Munich will reconvene at the iconic San Siro Stadium for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
The Nerrazzuri hold a slender 2-1 lead heading into Bavaria, but they’re under no illusion about the uphill task they’ll face on Wednesday night.
If the first leg was any indication, fans can expect a raucous atmosphere accompanied by a highly entertaining game of football between two of Europe’s most successful teams.
Both these sides will be hoping to go all the way this year, but you’d make a case for Bayern wanting it more, considering the final is scheduled to be held on their own turf.
There’s no doubt their fans would have bought UEFA Champions League final tickets from Seatsnet.com already, so all eyes will be on the Bavarians as they attempt a “remontada” to keep their continental hopes alive.
Match Preview
Inter are one step closer to yet another Champions League semi-final under Inzaghi’s leadership, but there’s still plenty of work to be done.
They may have won the battle in Bavaria, but the war rages on.
The Serie A leaders took the lead at the Allianz Arena with a sweeping counter-attacking move, but Bayern veteran Thomas Muller struck late on to hand the Bavarians a lifeline.
Buoyed by the fightback, Bayern had renewed impetus to go for the jugular.
However, they were made to pay as a late counter-punch saw Davide Frattesi snatch a winner for Inter with two minutes left on the clock.
It only took them three minutes to regain their lead, but they refused to be clumsy at the second time of asking, holding out for a crucial 2-1 win.
Inter are set to carry that confidence booster into the second leg on home turf, where they’d be expecting a relentless barrage from the Bundesliga powerhouse.
Nevertheless, they’d fancy their chances of pouring cold water on Bayern’s hopes of a comeback, having gone 14 Champions League games without defeat at San Siro.
Their first-leg win was also their fifth on the bounce in the competition.
Not since the days of their famous 2009/10 treble-winning season under the legendary Jose Mourinho have they managed to put together such a sparkling Champions League record.
Speaking of a treble, Inter are on the cusp of repeating their exploits from 15 years ago, although there’s still plenty of games to be played.
Barcelona will likely be waiting in the next round, but if Inter dispatch Bayern, they could be the team to beat if Inzaghi can keep the core of his squad healthy.
It has been 12 games since Inter last tasted defeat in any competition – a milestone they reached after making light work of Cagliari to solidify their grip on the Serie A summit.
That record gives them something to preserve as they prepare to host Bayern, where even a draw would be enough to send them through.
To further bolster confidence, Inter have only failed to make it through to the next round in two of their last 23 Champions League knockout ties after winning the first leg.
One of those instances came just last season when Atletico Madrid sent them packing.
That could offer Bayern a slither of hope, but the Germans will have to dispel their own demons if they’re to stand a chance of a comeback.
They have won just one of their last eight knockout ties after losing the first leg, but that success came last season.
While Inter were throwing away a first-leg lead, Bayern were busy pulling off a comeback as they turned the tables on Italian side Lazio in the last 16.
To further tip the scales in their favour, Bayern have remarkably won all four of their away games at San Siro.
Three of those wins came in the Champions League, and not once did they concede during that span.
That accounts for Inter’s longest losing streak to a single opponent at San Siro in any European tournament.
It wouldn’t look good on Vincent Kompany’s resume that he led Bayern to their first European home defeat in four years – a record stretching back to their 2021 quarter-final loss against PSG.
The Belgian will be keen to set the record straight, but they haven’t had the best preparation for this high-stakes fixture.
Over the weekend, Bayern were held to a 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.
That result should have done some real damage to their Bundesliga title charge, but fortunately for Kompany and co, Bayer Leverkusen suffered a similar fate against a lowly Union Berlin.
That doesn’t mean they’re out of the woods. Only six points separate both clubs with five games remaining, so Bayern have a permanent target on their back in a race poised to go down to the wire.
There’ll be plenty of time to worry about their coveted Bundesliga title.
For now, Kompany and co need to orchestrate a comeback in Milan to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
Key Stats
The last six meetings between these two sides have seen them split as many wins down the middle, and it usually doesn’t matter where they trade tackles.
In fact, the home side has come out on top just once in that six-game run, and that was when Bayern clinched a 2-0 win in Munich three years ago.
It’ll be hard to tag a favourite for this game, but Inter’s exceptional home record could see Bayern visit San Siro as slight underdogs.
Their 14-game unbeaten home run in the Champions League (W12, D2) is currently the longest-running streak in the competition.
Coincidentally, they snatched that crown from Bayern after ending their 22-game streak in the reverse fixture of this tie.
This game is shaping up to be a thrilling, end-to-end affair, so it’s no surprise that Champions League tickets are selling out fast on Seatsnet.com ahead of the showdown.
Team News
Inzaghi has a nearly fully fit squad to choose from, with only Kristjan Asllani and Denzel Dumfries set to miss the tie decider.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about Wednesday’s visitors.
Bayern will be without the dazzling Jamal Musiala, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
He’d be keeping tabs on the game from the sidelines alongside Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano, and Hiroki Ito.
Inter Milan potential starting line-up:
(3-5-2): Yann Sommer; Benjamin Pavard, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Matteo Darmian, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco; Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram.
Bayern Munich potential starting line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Jonas Urbig; Konrad Laimer, Eric Dier, Kim Min-Jae, Josip Stanisic; Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka; Michael Olise, Raphael Guerreiro, Leroy Sane; Harry Kane.
