Inter Milan vs Red Star Belgrade Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
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Italian champions Internazionale reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2023 and will consider themselves one of the favourites for the title as they play their first game at San Siro in this season’s tournament against Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Tuesday 1st October, 2024 - UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – TNT Sports / US – Paramount+
INTER MILAN PREVIEW: NERAZZURRI NEED A BOUNCE
In a repeat of the aforementioned 2022/23 UEFA Champions League final, Internazionale shared a goalless draw with Manchester City a couple of weeks ago at the Etihad Stadium. The Nerazzurri, under the management of Simone Inzaghi, have been a little inconsistent in Serie A this time around, though.
After dominating the league to win their 20th title and earn the second star upon their badge last season, Inter have started this season with three victories, two draws and a defeat in their opening six domestic matches. They come into this one on the back of an entertaining 3-2 victory over Udinese in Friuli.
RED STAR BELGRADE PREVIEW: RED STAR DIFFICULTIES
Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade come into this one on the back of a 2-1 defeat of Zeljeznicar Pancevo in their most recent outing at the weekend. After the opening nine matches of the Serbian SuperLiga season, Red Star sit at the top-of-the-table with a game-in-hand and their challenge will be to translate any sort of that form into the UEFA Champions League.
They began the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season with a hard fought but still disappointing 2-1 defeat to Portuguese giants Benfica. Benfica went 2-0 up inside half an hour with goals from Turkish duo Kerem Akturkoglu and Orkan Kokcu before Red Star pulled a goal back late on via Milson.
INTER MILAN TEAM NEWS: NO BARELLA
The man that joins everything together for Internazionale is Nicolo Barella but the Italy international remains unavailable for this weekend due to a muscle injury.
As well as Barella’s absence, Canada international Tajon Buchanan remains sidelined after suffering a fracture in his leg at the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
UNAVAILABLE: Barella (Injured), Buchanan (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
RED STAR BELGRADE TEAM NEWS: NO NEED TO CHANGE
There is just one injury absentee for Red Star to deal with ahead of the second match day of the UEFA Champions League campaign as Ognjen Mimovic remains unavailable.
There appears to be no real reason for Red Star boss Vladan Milojevic to make many, if any, changes for their trip to the Giuseppe Meeazza.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Glazer; Drkusic, Djiga, Spajic, Seol; Krunic, Elsnik; Silas, Ivanic, Olayinka; Duarte
UNAVAILABLE: Mimovic (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
KEY STATS
· Inter have won six and drawn two of their previous eight UEFA competition matches against Serbian clubs.
· Inter have won seven and drawn two of their last nine UEFA Champions League home matches.
· Inter have lost only two of their last 16 UEFA Champions League matches (W8 D6).
· Inter have kept seven clean sheets in their last nine UEFA Champions League home matches.
· Inter have kept ten clean sheets in their last 16 UEFA Champions League matches.
· Crvena Zvezda have won only two of their previous 23 UEFA competition matches against Italian teams (D10 L11).
· Crvena Zvezda have drawn four of their last five UEFA competition matches against Italian teams.
· Crvena Zvezda are without a win in their last 11 matches in the UEFA Champions League competition proper (D1 L10). Since a 3-1 home victory against Olympiacos in October 2019.
· Crvena Zvezda have lost all their previous nine away matches in the UEFA Champions League competition proper.
· None of Crvena Zvezda’s last 18 matches in the UEFA Champions League competition proper finished without a goal being scored.
INTER MILAN VS RED STAR BELGRADE PREDICTION
There is an expectation that this one could be quite one-sided to the point of another annihilation as was the case in a few matches in the opening match day. Red Star Belgrade showed positive signs at home against Benfica but a reliance on home form will be their Achilles heal in this tournament, as shown by their come from behind win against Bodo/Glimt last month. A heavy home win is to be expected in Milan.
INTER MILAN VS RED STAR BELGRADE TIP: INTER TO WIN -1 HANDICAP
