Champions League Preview: Inter vs Bayern Munich – Team News, Line-ups & Prediction | OneFootball

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza forms the backdrop for the second leg of a mouth-watering Champions League quarter-final tie between Inter and Bayern Munich. Simone Inzaghi’s charges head into proceedings on the front foot after taking an all-important first-leg lead at the Allianz Arena last weekend.

Goals from Lautaro Martinez and Davide Frattesi on either side of halftime saw Inter upset the apple cart in Munich last Tuesday. However, Thomas Muller’s strike blew this tie wide open. Despite leading 2-1, the reigning Serie A champions cannot take anything for granted going into this season-defining showdown.

Securing Champions League glory for the first time since 2010 is integral to Inter’s hopes of achieving a second treble in club history. Inzaghi’s side took another step toward becoming the first Serie A champion to defend their crown in five years last weekend with a routine 3-1 home win against relegation-battling Cagliari.

Unlike their hosts, Bayern Munich stuttered over the weekend as arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund held them to a 2-2 draw in the latest edition of the famous Der Klassiker. Despite dropping points for the third time in the last five Bundesliga matchdays, Vincent Kompany’s men finished the round six points clear of reigning champions and current runners-up Bayer Leverkusen.

Therefore, they should take the field in high spirits, even though they have a mountain to climb at the San Siro.

Match Preview

Inter

High-flying Inter are potentially 90 minutes away from reaching the Champions League semi-finals for the second time in three years. Confidence stems from Inter’s indomitable European record on home turf. Indeed, Inzaghi’s charges boast an eye-catching 14-game unbeaten streak at Meazza in this competition (W12, D2).

What’s more impressive, they only conceded five goals in that stretch. After halting Bayern’s 22-game streak last week, Inter own the longest active unbeaten home streak at Europe’s top table, testifying to their growing continental pedigree and Meazza’s fortress-like reputation. Yet, there’s no room for complacency.

In search of more good omens, Inter haven’t lost a competitive fixture since mid-February. Indeed, they pieced together a formidable 12-game streak without losing across all competitions after slumping to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Juventus (W9, D3), including six consecutive victories on home turf. Still, there’s a note of caution.

Bayern Munich

Despite last week’s fiasco in Munich, the Bavarians can take heart from their remarkable away record against Inter. The runaway Bundesliga leaders have won all four previous UEFA matches against the Nerazzurri on Italian soil, including three in the Champions League without conceding. That makes for good reading, yet there’s a catch.

Though considered a continental superpower, Bayern Munich have overhauled a first-leg deficit in the Champions League only once in eight previous attempts. On the bright side, that lone occasion came against Inter’s fellow Serie A rivals Lazio in last season’s round of 16, offering Kompany’s team a reason for optimism ahead of this trip.

Seeking their first semi-final appearance since hoisting the trophy in 2019/20, the six-time European champions can rely on back-to-back away wins in the Champions League to carry them through. Those triumphs form part of Bayern Munich’s promising-looking seven-game unbeaten run away from home, all competitions included (W5, D2).

Team News

Federico Dimarco is back to full fitness after being left out of the squad for the first leg last weekend. The Italian wingback should dislodge Carlos Augusto from the starting line-up. However, Inter cannot call upon Denzel Dumfries and Piotr Zielinski, with veteran full-back Matteo Darmian expected to take the former’s place on the right wing again.

In the meantime, Manuel Neuer has reportedly recovered from a calf injury but should still start on the bench. Bayern Munich took this trip without several first-team stars, including Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies, Hiroki Ito, and Dayot Upamecano.

Inter vs Bayern Munich Potential Starting Line-ups

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Augusto; Thuram, Martinez.

Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Urbig; Laimer, Dier, Kim, Guerreiro; Goretzka, Kimmich; Olise, Müller, Sane; Kane.

Inter vs Bayern Munich Prediction

Injury-hit Bayern Munich can still turn this tie on its head, hence the importance of Inter’s full focus. The hosts must not take this task lightly and let their purple patch tuck them into a false sense of security. Given Inzaghi’s tactical acumen and Inter’s well-documented discipline in these high-profile clashes, we can easily envisage the Italians’ progress.