Inter Milan vs Barcelona Preview – Prediction, how to watch & potential line-ups | OneFootball

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza forms the backdrop for a potentially pivotal Champions League Group C showdown between Inter Milan and Barcelona.

Back-to-back meetings between the two seasonal European campaigners could prove crucial to determine who progresses into the knock-out stages after both sides lost to section-leaders Bayern Munich.

Inter picked themselves up from a 2-0 home defeat to the Bavarians in their Group C curtain-raiser, as Edin Dzeko and Denzel Dumfries inspired them to an identical triumph at Viktoria Plzen.

However, Simone Inzaghi’s men have since hit a rough patch, losing consecutive Serie A outings despite breaking the deadlock on each occasion.

Roma’s 2-1 win at Meazza on Saturday may have done enough to crush Inter’s already shaken confidence and hand Barcelona a much-needed leg-up ahead of the kick-off.

Robert Lewandowski missed a couple of sitters in his side’s 2-0 loss to his former employers Bayern in the previous Champions League round, but he has since regained his goalscoring form.

After his match-winning double catapulted Xavi Hernandez’s team to a 3-0 home triumph over fellow La Liga rivals Elche, the Pole netted the only goal to sink Mallorca on Saturday.

Lewandowski will hope to get back on the Champions League scoreboard after notching up a hat-trick in Barcelona’s 5-1 humbling of Plzen at the Spotify Camp Nou on day one.

Match Preview

Inter Milan

Inter have already fallen eight points behind in the Scudetto race after the abovementioned defeats and can ill-afford dropping further behind in Europe if Inzaghi is to keep hold of his job.

With the Italian manager’s future at Meazza up in the air, the Nerazzurri know another negative result against Barcelona could push them towards a fourth group elimination across the last five campaigns.

Unfortunately for Inter, there’s not much they can draw inspiration from, considering they have racked up just two wins from their 14 European enocunters against the Catalan powerhouse (D4, L8).

Barcelona

Barcelona’s fiasco at the Allianz Arena made it three defeats from their last four away matches in the Champions League (W1), as many as in their previous 25 such outings (W15, D7).

Despite setting a record for the best unbeaten start away from home in La Liga history (W13, D5), Xavi has become only the second Barca boss to lose his first two away Champions League fixtures.

But the Blaugrana have won their last two Champions League visits to Inter, including a 2-1 triumph in the 2019/20 group stages that sealed the Italians’ elimination that year.

Inter Milan vs Barcelona Potential Line-ups

Inter Milan (3-5-2): Samir Handanovic; Milan Skriniar, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Kristjan Asllani, Hakan Calhanoglu, Federico Dimarco; Lautaro Martinez, Edin Dzeko.

Barcelona (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Andreas Christensen, Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba; Franck Kessie, Sergio Busquets, Pedri; Ousmane Dembele, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha.

How to Watch?

Inter vs Barcelona, alongside all other matches in Europe’s most prestigious club competition this season, is available to watch online via Champions League live streams.

And if you are interested in attending a future Champions League game, see our Champions League tickets page for more information.

Inter Milan vs Barcelona Prediction

Injury-hit Inter have been prone to squandering the lead lately, with their vulnerable backline conceding at least twice in four of their last six outings.

With Barcelona’s new-look squad firing on all cylinders, we expect the Catalans to take advantage of their hosts’ sub-par form and make a decisive step towards the Champions League knock-outs.

Inter Milan 1-2 Barcelona