Inter Milan are currently leading Bayern Munich 2-1 as they approach the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash at the Giuseppe Meazza on Wednesday.
Lautaro Martinez and Davide Frattesi found the back of the net in the first leg, putting Inter in a favorable position. However, Bayern will be looking to turn the tie around and secure a spot in the semi-finals against either Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund.
Team news
Inter's head coach Inzaghi made some changes to the starting line-up during their 3-1 victory over Cagliari in Serie A, with only a few players retaining their spots from the first leg against Bayern.
Inzaghi is expected to field a similar team as they did in Munich, with midfielder Kristjan Asllani returning from suspension. Piotr Zielinski and Denzel Dumfries are the only confirmed absences for Inter.
Bayern's manager Vincent Kompany made one alteration to his team in the recent 2-2 draw with Dortmund, bringing in Muller for Guerreiro.
Aleksandar Pavlovic and Kingsley Coman could earn starting positions after their appearances from the bench. However, several players including Neuer, Davies, Upamecano, Ito, and Musiala are still sidelined due to injuries.
The statistics
Inter has the best defensive record in the current Champions League campaign, having only conceded three goals in 11 matches.
The Nerazzurri have won their last five games in the competition and have been victorious in all their European home fixtures this season.
Inter has won nine consecutive matches at the Giuseppe Meazza across all competitions and are unbeaten in 20 home games since their defeat to AC Milan in September.
Bayern has won only three of their last seven matches, with defeats against Bochum and draws against Union Berlin and Dortmund.
The Bavarian team is unbeaten in their last seven away games, winning five of those matches since their loss to Feyenoord in the Champions League group stage.
Bayern has won their last three away encounters with Inter, including a 2-0 victory at the Giuseppe Meazza in the 2022-23 Champions League group stage.
Prediction
Inter currently holds a slim advantage going into the second leg, which could work in their favor given their impressive defensive record in this season's tournament.
With only three goals conceded in the Champions League so far, Inter has proven to be a resilient side, defeating teams like Arsenal, Monaco, and Feyenoord at home.
Despite Bayern's inconsistent form, they must secure a win to have any chance of progressing to the next round. This might force them to take risks during the match.
If Bayern becomes more offensive, Inter could capitalize on counter-attacks. If Inter maintains their strong defensive performance, they are capable of not only advancing to the semi-finals but also clinching a victory in the upcoming match.