Benfica will host Inter Milan in their fourth meeting of the year. Similar to the quarterfinal match from the previous season, Inter has already qualified for the knockout stage. Benfica is already out, but group standings could still be crucial for both teams.
Preview (Benfica vs. Inter Milan)
Benfica will try to cap off a disastrous group-stage campaign by at least securing a Europa League spot. This despite advancement is already out of reach. By doing this, they will avoid being the only team to finish with no points. Benfica is the only team, along with Antwerp, that has not yet earned a point in the group stage after four straight losses. Benfica’s matchday one loss to Salzburg at home by a score of 2-0 means they will probably need to improve this week before defeating the Austrians on matchday six in order to secure third place. Their strong form in Europe stands in stark contrast to their current ranking at the top of the domestic rankings.
They won the Taca de Portugal this past weekend. They secured all three points with a thrilling late comeback that saw them score two goals in injury time. This means they haven’t lost domestically since the first day of the season. Whatever transpires, Inter will top the section either head-to-head or by points if they defeat Real Sociedad. Though they are trailing on goal differential, Inter may find it more crucial to improve Real’s performance. Still, Simone Inzaghi’s players will be hoping to take them to victory against Benfica once more.
They have won all four of their Champions League games. It is a first for the team since Jose Mourinho’s championship-winning campaign in 2009–2010. Inter also comes into the game in fantastic form. They have won eight of their last ten games without a loss after a draw against championship challenger Juventus. After 17 games across all competitions, Inter’s sole loss is a shocking loss to Sassuolo. On Sunday night, they overcame falling down for the first time in 12 games to secure a draw at the Allianz Stadium.
Team News
Benfica, the clear cup favorites, fielded a rather strong team this past weekend, according to manager Roger Schmidt. Orkun Kokcu, a Turkish midfielder, returned to the game for the hosts and played a brief 12-minute cameo. Additionally, Juan Bernat is getting closer to making a return, but Alexander Bah, another full-back, is still not ready due to a thigh injury. Rafael Silva and Angel Di Maria are expected to start in the wide areas for Benfica while winger David Neres is also absent. Alessandro Bastoni is Inter’s biggest injury absentee after missing Italy’s recent international matches due to a calf ailment that sidelined him for a month.
After being sidelined by a horrific knee injury sustained by Benjamin Pavard, Inzaghi now had to deal with another defensive injury. On Sunday, however, Juan Cuadrado made a comeback against his old team, Juventus. The right-back from Colombia made his first start in two months off the bench, and considering how Inzaghi has insisted on rotating his full-backs throughout this campaign, he might make a comeback. Los Augusto has frequently replaced Federico Dimarco during the group stage, so that might be one of the few changes to the lineup that keeps the team essentially the same as the one that played Juventus. After missing Sunday’s match because he played twice for Chile during the international break, Alexis Sanchez ought to be added back to the starting lineup.
Benfica 0 – 1 Inter Milan
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