On Wednesday, Inter Milan will play Benfica in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at San Siro.
Team Form
Inter Milan
Last week, Inter Milan surprised many football fans with their impressive performance against Benfica. After a six-game winless run, expectations were not high for the Italian team, but they managed to secure a 2-0 victory in the first leg of their UCL quarter-final. This puts them in a strong position to advance to the semi-finals.
The goals came from two well-placed crosses, and the team’s solid defense ensured they kept a clean sheet. This was a significant achievement, as Benfica is known for its strong home record and intimidating atmosphere at the Estadio da Luz.
Despite their success in Europe, Inter Milan has been struggling domestically. They have only secured one point in their last five Serie A matches and are currently in fifth place.
This puts them two points behind their local rivals AC Milan, who are in fourth place and could potentially be their opponents in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Inter Milan Form (All Competitions): L D D W L
Benfica
Despite a strong fight, Benfica could not capitalize on their chances in the first leg against Inter Milan. Wastefulness, impressive saves from Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana, and solid defending from the Italian team prevented the Portuguese side from finding the back of the net.
Adding to their woes, Benfica’s form in the Primeira Liga has also taken a hit in recent weeks. A loss to title rivals Porto just days before hosting Inter Milan had already put a dent in their lead at the top of the rankings.
Their woes continued over the weekend when they suffered a 1-0 defeat to mid-table team Chaves. Issah Abass’s stoppage-time goal sealed the victory for Chaves and cut Benfica’s lead at the top of the rankings to just four points.
Benfica Form (All Competitions): W W L L L
Squad Report
Inter Milan
Inter Milan has been dealt a blow ahead of their second-leg Champions League quarter-final against Benfica, as defender Milan Skriniar has been ruled out due to a back injury that will reportedly not heal in time for the match.
Skriniar will join Stefan de Vrij in the infirmary, who is also recovering from an injury.
Benfica
Benfica will have the services of Argentinian defender Nicolas Otamendi, who missed the first leg due to suspension.
After serving his suspension in the loss to Chaves, Midfielder Florentino is also available for selection.
However, Julian Draxler and Mihailo Ristic are currently nursing muscular injuries and are unlikely to feature in the match.
Right-back Alexander Bah is also expected to be out of action for a few more weeks due to a knee injury.
Inter Milan’s expected starting lineup:
Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Brozovic, Dimarco; Dzeko, Martinez
Benfica’s expected starting lineup:
Vlachodimos; Gilberto, A. Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Florentino, Aursnes; Neres, R. Silva, Mario; Ramos
Head to Head
Inter Milan has a strong track record against Benfica, having emerged victorious in four of their five previous meetings, with the other match resulting in a draw.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Wednesday, April 19
Time: 08:00 pm, BST
Venue: San Siro, Milan
Prediction
The return of Nicolas Otamendi will also provide a much-needed boost to Benfica’s defense, which has traditionally performed well in European competitions.
However, the morale of the Eagles may be low, similar to that of Inter, who have struggled in their domestic league.
Inter will likely force a draw despite the challenges, setting up an all-Italian semi-final against either Napoli or Milan.
