UEFA Champions League: Inter Milan vs. Real Madrid Preview, Odds, Prediction

The absolute derby of the entire UEFA Champions League round is in Milan, where Inter meets Real Madrid. Two former European champions are currently outside the top two places in Group B, and whoever loses here will be in a tough situation. Not reaching the knockout stage is a catastrophe, which is why this contest has an enormous significance. Real was better in the first leg in Madrid, 3-2, but they didn’t amaze anyone with the performance.

Preview

Inter Milan (+115) was down two goals against Torino in the last Serie A clash, but managed to win with 4-2 in the end, making big comeback at home. That inconsistency in its performances is the biggest problem for Antonio Conte’s boys, who have a tremendous quality but can’t post results at the expected level.

At the moment, they have just one win in the last four home matches, posting draws against Parma and Monchengladbach and losing against the biggest rivals, AC Milan. Since the season began, all the contests at Meazza saw over 2.5 goals, and both teams to score.

Inter’s problems are mostly linked to the defense, as they don’t have the needed toughness in the back line, which often allows rivals to score from situations that aren’t very promising.

Real Madrid (+220) didn’t win for two events in a row, and after suffering a nasty defeat in Valencia, 4-1, they managed to take just one point against Villarreal, 1-1. Similar to Inter, Los Blansoc are inconsistent as well, and unlike the previous year, once their defense looked impregnable, they struggle to protect the net early on this year.

Thibaut Courtois had to take the ball out of his net in the last seven straight matches, which is devastating not only for his morale but also for Real’s results. The Spanish powerhouse has three losses, two draws, and five wins in the past 10 matches, which is subpar for their expectations.

When looking at games played on the road, the Madridians look pretty pale with three victories in seven events.

Latest News

Both teams will have several players absent for tonight’s match. Mateo Brozovic, Aleksandar Kolarov, and Daniele Padeli are about due to COVID-19 infection. Stefano Sensi and Matias Vecino are out due to injuries.

The biggest blow for Real is Karim Benzema’s injury. Even though there are some chances for him to appear, most of the media ruled him out for this event. Luka Jovic and Militao are COVID-19 positive, while Odrozola, Valverde, and Sergio Ramos all have injury troubles.

Head to Head matches

After 16 matches between these two sides, the record is split. Both teams have 7 wins each, with two draws, with the goal difference slightly leaning onto Inter’s side, 23-21.

The first leg saw Real’s 3-2 win, with Inter coming back from 2-0, but not having the power to flip the result.

Prediction

Inter doesn’t have too many options here, and the hosts have to attack Real right from the start. The guests are in problems without two of their best players, Benzema and Ramos, which forces us to bet on Inter’s win.