Inter and Bayern battle each other at San Siro for early supremacy in the group of death in their first Champions League game of the 2022/23 Season.
The home side suffered a 3-2 derby day heartbreak against bitter rivals AC Milan while Bayern were held to a successive 1-1 draws away at Union Berlin.
INT vs BAY Match Details
Date: Wednesday, 7 September 2022 / Thursday, 8 September 2022
Time: 20:00 (BST) / 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
INT vs BAY Match Preview
Simone Inzaghi’s men’s late charge to rescue at least a point from the already lost derby didn’t trouble Milan at the end as the Nerazzurri fell to a 3-2 defeat at San Siro in a thrilling game. Marcelo Brozovic made a fantastic run to the opposition box, moving on from the blind sight of his marker, to cut through the defense and give Inter the lead in the 21st minute. But that is the only time Inter managed to break the press from Milan as the home side on the day continue to nullify the Nerazzurri up the pitch. It paid dividends quickly with Hakan Calhanoglu handing the ball to Sandro Tonali who then found Rafael Leao in space to score his first derby goal eight minutes after going behind. The Portuguese then set up Olivier Giroud to give Milan the lead in the second half before he got on the scoresheet for the second time shortly after, deceiving the Inter defense with his trickery and pace. Inzaghi was forced to make attacking changes after that with Edin Dzeko making an instant impact in getting a goal back twenty minutes from time. Mike Maignan was equal to the task Inter threw at him to deny them any chance to make any claim of points in a game they hardly dominated. Two defeats in five games for Inter forces Simone Inzaghi to rethink his strategy in upcoming games even more against top oppositions. Their 3-1 loss to Lazio last month showed the Nerazzurri are lacking the mentality in big games. An inability Inter cannot show in this Champions League containing Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich, re-strengthen Barcelona team and Viktoria Plzen coming up with an unknown challenge. No doubt, the group is labeled as the group of death where none of the clubs involve set a foot wrong early and put their qualification to the latter rounds at risk. Facing Bayern Munich in their curtain raiser of the Group C encounter, Inter should keep that in mind to turn around their winless home record against the German giants in the last three meetings. They have opened a Champions League group stage on a winning note only once in the last six participations in the contest.
Bayern Munich’s 100% record in this meeting away from Allianz Arena will give them the confidence to get back to winning ways after disappointing draws in the last two league matches. Julian Nagelsmann’s side started their title defense for the 11th consecutive season steamrolling opposition through their clinical front four which now have a certain Sadio Mane in the ranks. Bayern scored 15 goals in the first three games of the season itself conceding only once but then they ran out of gas. The Bavarians failed to break down a well-constructed defense of Monchengladbach with a goalkeeper of unreal reflexes and then Union Berlin at the weekend, frustrated by another shot-stopping brilliance between the sticks. In both games, Bayern rescued points from losing points after falling behind in those matches because of failing to defend certain situations. A recurring theme from last season that prevented Bayern Munich from getting into the last four of the Champions League having mugged by Villarreal’s irresistible counter-attacks. Nagelsmann knows he has to tighten the back four soon in competitions like this and at the same time get his side firing lots of goals again. Robert Lewandowski is no more leading the line for Bayern but even the Pol couldn’t have done anything if the team keeps leaking goals in crucial stages. Bayern are unbeaten in their last 10 meetings against Italian sides and facing a scornful Inter lacking in firepower can guide them to victory although things will become nervy if their European form merges with the domestic one. The Nerazzurri are a similar kind of opposition to that of the other two faced in the Bundesliga but with far high quality in the squad. Inter didn’t draw the best of results in the last two Champions League campaigns in the group stages and will be desperate to change the outlook this time around. A change Bayern won’t be happy to concede.
Recent Form (league)
INT: LWLWW
BAY: DDWWW
INT vs BAY Team News
Inter will still be without Romelu Lukaku for the clash as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury. Striker Edin Dzeko is tipped to start the clash over Joaquin Correa after featuring from the bench in the derby. Also coming on as a substitute was Henrikh Mkhitaryan on his return from injury and he has again in contention for the midweek game. Matteo Darmian should make way for Robin Gosens in the right wing-back role for his first Champions League game in Inter colors. Alessandro Bastoni was not properly fit and struggled with the press from AC Milan in the derby but could retain his spot on Wednesday over Federico Dimarco.
Bayern Munich received a big injury boost when Leon Goretzka returned at the weekend recovering from the knee injury that kept him out at the start of the new season. He received only five minutes as a substitute in the 1-1 draw and will begin from the bench for this one as well. There are no other first-team players battling with injuries or suspension crises so Julian Nagelsmann has a host of players to choose from. Bouna Sarr and Eric Chupo-Moting are the only players not part of the traveling squad due to injuries.
INT vs BAY Predicted Lineups
INT: Samir Handanovic; Milan Skriniar, De Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Hakan Calhanoglu, Robin Gosens; Lautaro Martinez, Edin Dzeko
BAY: Manuel Neuer; Benjamin Pavard, De Ligt, Dayot Upamecano, Alphonso Davies; Marcel Sabitzer, Joshua Kimmich; Kingsley Coman, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane; Sadio Mane
INT vs BAY Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Neuer
DEF: Pavard, Skriniar, De Ligt, Davies
MID: Barella, Kimmich, Brozovic, Sane
FW: Mane, Martinez
Captain: Sadio Mane
Vice-captain: Lautaro Martinez
