Man Metropolis vs Inter: Preview, predictions and lineups

Matchday 1 of the 2024/25 Champions League is arguably highlighted by Wednesday night time’s conflict between Manchester Metropolis and Inter on the Etihad.

In a repeat of the 2023 last in Istanbul, the Premier League champions face the Scudetto holders in a seismic early-season conflict within the all-new league part.

Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens have began the contemporary marketing campaign in high-quality kind, however they’ve leaked targets in latest weeks. Nonetheless, Metropolis sit atop the Premier League having gained their opening 4 video games.

Inter have already got a few blemishes on their home file in 2024/25, and so they have been compelled to come back from behind late on at Monza on Sunday. Denzel Dumfries rescued a degree for the champions, who have been additionally held by Genoa on Matchday 1. Nonetheless, a 4-0 victory over Atalanta earlier than the September break was a reminder of simply how potent Simone Inzaghi’s aspect may be.

Here is 90min’s preview of Wednesday’s blockbuster Champions League fixture.

Man Metropolis vs Inter H2H File (All Video games)

Present kind (all competitions)

Nathan Ake has been dominated out till after the October worldwide break with a muscle harm sustained whereas taking part in for the Netherlands final week.

The Dutch defender joins Oscar Bobb on the sidelines, with the Norwegian worldwide not anticipated to be in competition till 2025.

Rodri is in line to make his first begin of the season on Wednesday, whereas Phil Foden might come again into the aspect after failing to function on the weekend. Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias are others pushing for begins, however Guardiola may even have one eye on Sunday’s conflict in opposition to Arsenal.

Man Metropolis predicted lineup vs Inter (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo, Foden, Doku; Haaland.

There are some considerations over the standing of star wing-back Federico Dimarco, who’s been coping with muscle fatigue within the wake of Inter’s 1-1 draw in opposition to Monza.

Not solely might the Italian worldwide miss Wednesday’s sport in Manchester, however Italian shops imagine Dimarco may additionally be struggling to be slot in time for Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina.

The Nerazzurri in any other case have few points on the harm entrance. They are going to, nonetheless, be with out Canadian worldwide Tajon Buchanan.

Inzaghi rotated significantly in Monza on the weekend and we must always see Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastoni, Benjamin Pavard, and Hakan Calhanoglu all come again into the Inter XI on the Etihad.

Inter predicted lineup vs Man Metropolis (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez.

Neither aspect are more likely to be drastically totally different from their first and solely assembly lower than 18 months in the past, with Inzaghi’s aspect inflicting Metropolis all types of issues in Istanbul earlier than Rodri struck a second-half winner.

Whereas the hosts have began the season reasonably imperiously, they’ve proven vulnerabilities to the counter-attack and when defending set-pieces. These points needs to be alleviated as soon as Rodri is re-integrated, and he ought to make his first begin of the season on Wednesday.

Rodri’s return will embolden the hosts, who even have the game’s most potent weapon at their disposal. A superb Inter defence has their work reduce out in the event that they’re to tame Erling Haaland, however Inzaghi’s meticulously drilled block and fluid positional rotations in possession hand Inter an opportunity of inflicting an upset.

It’s going to be shut and really aggressive, with Metropolis maybe having to work from behind to earn all three factors.

Prediction: Man Metropolis 2-1 Inter

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