Arsenal go head-to-head with Inter on UCL Match Day 4.

2024-10-31

As Inter and Arsenal prepare to reignite their European rivalry at the iconic San Siro, both teams will be eager to extend their Champions League winning streaks and shake off recent domestic frustrations in an electrifying midweek clash.

Inter

Inter secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Venezia after surviving a late scare. The VAR stepped in to rule out a stoppage-time goal for Venezia, leaving Inter with four wins in their last five matches across all competitions. "We should’ve been more clinical, but to be honest, I congratulated the team because the first half was excellent and we wasted big opportunities with Mkhitaryan and Thuram," remarked Simone Inzaghi to DAZN following the win.

Currently, Inter sit in 7th place in the UCL league phase table after narrowly defeating Young Boys 1-0 on UCL Matchday 3. They are aiming for three consecutive victories in the competition after an impressive 4-0 win over FK Crvena Zvezda. Inter will face yet another Premier League opponent, having previously encountered Manchester City on UCL Matchday 1.

The last encounter between Inter and Arsenal dates back to the 2003-04 UEFA Champions League, where both sides suffered home losses. As they prepare to host Arsenal, the Nerazzurri, with an impressive record of 11 wins in 17 home games against English clubs (11W, 3D, 3L), aim to preserve their unbeaten streak. Despite some frustrations over Marcus Thuram’s weekend performance, he is expected to partner with Lautaro Martínez in attack within Inzaghi's 3-5-2 formation.

Arsenal

Arsenal suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Newcastle United on Saturday. The Gunners struggled to respond to a brilliant header from Isak in the 12th minute, which he helped set up.

Mikel Arteta expressed the team's frustration and disappointment with the result in a post-match interview. Back in European competition, Arsenal will aim to build on their previous victories, seeking a third consecutive win after defeating Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Gunners currently sit in 9th place with 7 points, equal to Inter, but trail due to an inferior goal difference. To surpass Inter, Arsenal must overcome a challenging run of four UEFA Champions League games without a goal in Italy, with their last goal there scored by Emmanuel Adebayor in a 2-0 win over AC Milan in March 2008.

Fans might see a 4-3-3 formation featuring Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, and Raheem Sterling in attack against Inter. Riccardo Calafiori is ruled out along with three other players for the match.