Tuesday’s second leg of Porto and Inter Milan’s last-16 match will determine whether the team advances to the Champions League quarterfinals.
Team Form
Porto
Last month, Porto experienced a disappointing defeat at San Siro, as they were defeated by Inter, with Romelu Lukaku scoring the game’s only goal. It was a frustrating night for Porto, who were reduced to 10 men during the game.
However, losing has been unusual for the Portuguese team this season. They finished first in Group B before the winter break by winning their last four fixtures. Before their defeat at San Siro, they had won 10 consecutive matches.
Porto’s loss to Inter was followed by an unexpected defeat at home to Gil Vicente just four days later. However, Porto quickly returned to form, winning their last two matches against Chaves and Estoril, scoring six goals.
Porto Form (All Competitions): W L L W W
Inter Milan
After winning the first leg for only the second time in their last 10 attempts, the Italian football club will aim to maintain their winning streak in Europe’s top club competition. They have won four in the second leg in their previous seven away games in the elimination stage.
The Serie A leaders, Napoli, have an impressive 18-point lead over the 2020-21 champions, which leaves Inzaghi’s team far behind.
With their recent defeat against Spezia, the team has suffered eight losses in the league, six occurring during away games. This has resulted in them having the seventh-best away record in Italy’s top football league.
It is clear that Inzaghi’s team faces an uphill task to catch up with Napoli in the Serie A, and their recent defeat against Spezia has only added to their woes.
However, the team has shown that they can perform well in Europe, and their winning streak in the away games of the elimination stage of the Champions League is a testament to their ability to rise to the occasion.
Inter Milan Form (All Competitions): W W L W L
Squad Report
Porto
Porto will have to make at least one change to the starting lineup for their upcoming Champions League match against Milan, as Otavio is suspended following his red card in the first leg.
In light of this, Andre Franco and Stephen Eustaqio are among the players vying for a spot in the team.
Despite sustaining a heel injury during their match against Estoril, Canadian international Eustaquio is expected to be fit and may provide a more defensive option for Porto.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan’s goalkeeper Andre Onana is expected to return to the team after being rested in their last match.
This decision comes after criticism aimed at club captain Samir Handanovic for his performance during their game against La Spezia.
Porto’s predicted starting lineup:
Costa; Mario, Pepe, Cardoso, Sanusi; Grujic, Uribe; Franco, Pepe, Galeno; Taremi
Inter Milan’s predicted starting lineup:
Onana; De Vrij, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Lukaku
Head to Head
The upcoming Champions League match between Inter Milan and Porto will mark the sixth time the two teams have faced each other.
In their previous five meetings, all of which were in the Champions League, Inter Milan has emerged as the stronger team with three wins.
In contrast, Porto has only secured one victory in these encounters, with one game ending in a draw.
Despite their previous record, Porto hopes to turn things around and secure a crucial win to advance to the next stage of the competition.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Tuesday, March 14
Time: 08:00 pm, GMT
Venue: EstĆ”dio do DragĆ£o stadium, Porto
Prediction
Although Inter Milan won the tie’s first leg, their defensive frailties have been exposed in recent matches.
This is a cause for concern ahead of the second leg, where a solid defensive performance will be crucial in securing a victory and advancing to the next stage of the competition.
