As Inter prepare to host Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, here is everything you need to know about the two sides, their recent form, results, team news and how to watch the game itself.
Inter-Arsenal: Team news
Inter have a relatively fit and healthy squad at their disposal for the midweek visit from Arsenal. Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi both returned to the matchday squad for the 1-0 win over Venezia in Serie A at the weekend, with the former earning a decent run-out from the bench in the second half.
Kristjan Asllani and Carlos Augusto are the only two Nerazzurri injury doubts heading into the Arsenal game, but the former is also back in training.
Mikel Arteta’s side were also handed a boost in the build-up to Wednesday’s Champions League headliner. Captain Martin Odegaard returned to full training with the team on Tuesday after a 12-game spell on the treatment table, and could be involved with the squad against Inter.
Former Bologna defender Takehiro Tomiyasu and left-back Kieran Tierney remain out with longer-term injury concerns.
Form Guide
Inter are currently sat second in Serie A with 24 points from their first 11 matches of the 2024-25 season. Simone Inzaghi’s side are also third in the Serie A form guide, with an almost-perfect record of four wins and one draw from their last five league outings.
Inter have picked up relatively straight-forward wins against Torino, Roma, Empoli and Venezia, plus a massively entertaining 4-4 draw with Juventus in the Derby d’Italia near the end of October.
epa11687700 Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries (C) scores the 4-2 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between FC Inter and Juventus FC, in Milan, Italy, 27 October 2024. EPA-EFE/MATTEO BAZZI
Inter’s Champions League form makes for similar reading too, as they have two wins and one draw from their first three matches in the competition. The Nerazzurri have won their last two against Young Boys and Red Star, and held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw at the Etihad in their first European match of the season.
Inter currently sit seventh in the Champions League standings on seven points, the same tally as Arsenal, who are currently placed in ninth after wins against Shakhtar Donetsk and PSG, plus a 0-0 draw with Atalanta in the first round of fixtures.
As for their league results, Arsenal suffered their second league defeat of the season against Sandro Tonali’s Newcastle United on Saturday, drew 2-2 with Liverpool before that, but won three in a row against Bournemouth, Southampton and Leicester City before then.
Head-to-Head: Previous results
Wednesday’s game will be the first and only time the two sides have faced each other in the Champions League since the group stages of the 2003-04 season. Inter won the first leg 3-0 at Highbury, while Arsenal won the return leg in San Siro by a 5-1 margin four games later.
Key Players
Two of Inter’s most impressive stars of the 2024-25 season in Marcus Thuram and Federico Dimarco could potentially be rested for the Arsenal game, according to pre-match reports in Italy, but there are still plenty of other talents among the Nerazzurri roster.
Captain Lautaro Martinez recently placed seventh in the final Ballon d’Or rankingshigher than any of Arsenal’s candidates on the shortlist. He is expected to start up front alongside Mehdi Taremi, who has a goal and two assists from his three Champions League appearances this term.
Italy internationals Nicolo Barella in midfield and Alessandro Bastoni on the left-side of the back three are also undisputed stars of this current Simone Inzaghi set-up.
Arsenal’s stars need little introduction either. Bukayo Saka is among the most talented in the squad and was recently handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Odegaard.
The centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel is touted as one of, if not the best in the Premier League, while Declan Rice and Thomas Partey bring some strength and control to the midfield unit.
Where to watch Inter-Arsenal
Inter-Arsenal is due to kick-off at 20.00 GMT on Wednesday evening and will be broadcast live on TV in the UK via TNT Sports. Supporters can also tune in live via Discovery+ online.
Supporters in the USA will be able to watch the game live through Paramount+.
Join us on the Football Italia LIVEBLOG for all the pre-match build-up, in-game coverage and post-match reactions as they happen on Wednesday night.
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