Inter Milan will hope to continue their unbeaten start to the UEFA Champions League when they take on BSC Young Boys on Matchday 3.
Inter Milan will aim to extend their unbeaten run in the UEFA Champions League when they travel to Bern on Wednesday to face BSC Young Boys at Stadion Wankdorf. The Italian giants, who are three-time European champions, have made a solid start to their campaign with a draw and a win from their first two matches, while their Swiss counterparts have endured a nightmare start to the group stage, losing both of their opening games.
Inter currently sit on four points, having opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Manchester City, before returning to San Siro to register a resounding 4-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade. Their defensive solidity has been a key factor in their Champions League success in recent seasons, with coach Simone Inzaghi employing a safety-first approach that has resulted in more clean sheets than any other team since his tenure began in 2021.
While the Nerazzurri have been defensively sound in Europe, their domestic form has shown some vulnerabilities in recent weeks, particularly in defence. They have conceded more goals in Serie A than in previous seasons, but their attacking prowess has remained intact, as they continue to score at a rate of more than two goals per game.
Star striker Lautaro Martinez has been in sensational form, and his decisive goal in their recent 1-0 victory over AS Roma at the weekend highlighted his ability to perform in big moments. Despite a slight wobble after their Milan derby defeat to AC Milan, Inter have bounced back in style, winning their last three Serie A matches while maintaining their dominance in Europe.
However, Inzaghi will be keen to address his side’s recent struggles away from home in the Champions League, having failed to win any of their last three road trips in the competition. A victory in Bern would not only solidify their position in the group but also restore confidence in their ability to perform on the continental stage.
Young Boys, on the other hand, are yet to find their footing in the Champions League this season. The Swiss champions have lost both of their opening matches, conceding eight goals in the process, and sit rock bottom of the standings. They were thumped 5-0 by Barcelona in their last European outing, and two weeks prior, they suffered a humbling 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Aston Villa.
These results have left them with a mountain to climb if they hope to progress to the knockout stages. One of the key issues for Young Boys has been their slow starts, with five of the goals they have conceded coming in the first half of matches. This has left them chasing games and exposed defensively against superior opposition.
Furthermore, their previously dominant form in domestic competitions has also taken a hit this season. The reigning Swiss Super League champions have won just two of their first 10 league games, and their struggles on both ends have been apparent.
Managerial changes have also added to the instability within the Young Boys camp. The departure of Patrick Rahmen has seen Under-21 coach Joel Magnin take over as interim boss. Despite these challenges, Magnin was able to lead the team to a morale-boosting 2-1 victory over Swiss Super League leaders Luzern at the weekend.
While that result may provide some confidence, the step up in class against Inter Milan will be significant, and they will need to be at their very best to avoid another heavy defeat. The Hard Tackle delves into the potential elevens and tactics for this highly-anticipated clash.
Team News & Tactics
BSC Young Boys
Young Boys will be missing a few key players due to injury ahead of their clash with Inter Milan. Defenders Saidy Janko (muscular), Patric Pfeiffer (knee), and Tanguy Zoukrou (hip) have all been ruled out of Wednesday’s game, leaving the Swiss side short of defensive options.
Despite these setbacks, interim coach Joel Magnin has attacking options at his disposal, with Joel Monteiro continuing to be their most productive player this season. The Swiss winger was among the goals in the recent win over Luzern, alongside Cedric Itten, and both will likely play key roles in attempting to breach Inter’s defence.
Magnin is expected to make several changes to the starting XI compared to their last Champions League fixture, especially with players returning from international duty. A similar rotation policy to the one used in their league game against Luzern could be employed here, as Magnin shuffled his squad by making six changes from their loss to Basel before the international break.
Young Boys are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which provides a balance between defensive solidity and offensive flexibility. The experienced David von Ballmoos will be in goal, shielded by a back four comprising Zachary Athekame at right-back, Mohamed Ali Camara and Loris Benito in the heart of the defence, and Jaouen Hadjam at left-back.
In midfield, Cheikh Niasse and Fabian Rieder will sit deep, tasked with breaking up play and transitioning from defence to attack. Joel Monteiro will operate on the right wing, while Filip Ugrinic plays in a more advanced role centrally, with Ebrima Colley likely to provide width on the left. Cedric Itten will spearhead the attack, leading the line as the central striker.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): von Ballmoos; Athekame, Camara, Benito, Hadjam; Niasse, Lakomy; Monteiro, Ugrinic, Colley; Itten
Inter Milan
Following their hard-fought victory over AS Roma on Sunday, Inter Milan have concerns ahead of their Champions League fixture against Young Boys, with both Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi picking up apparent muscular injuries.
As a result, Calhanoglu is unlikely to be available for the midweek trip to Switzerland. Coach Simone Inzaghi will also be hoping that midfielders Kristjan Asllani and Piotr Zielinski can recover in time, with their fitness also crucial ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated Derby d’Italia against Juventus.
Given the busy schedule, Inzaghi may rotate his forwards again. So, either Mehdi Taremi or Marko Arnautovic could feature in the starting XI. However, Marcus Thuram and captain Lautaro Martinez, both in excellent form, remain the primary attacking duo. Martinez, in particular, is chasing history, as he is one goal away from becoming Inter’s all-time top non-Italian scorer and just one strike shy of Adriano’s 14-goal tally as Inter’s leading Champions League marksman.
Inter Milan are expected to line up in their usual 3-5-2 formation, which has been a hallmark of Inzaghi’s tenure. Yann Sommer will start in goal, protected by a back three consisting of Yann Bisseck on the right, Stefan de Vrij in the centre, and Alessandro Bastoni on the left.
In midfield, the absence of Calhanoglu could see Davide Frattesi, Nicolo Barella, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan take on more central roles, with Barella likely pulling the strings from deep. Denzel Dumfries will provide width on the right flank, with Federico Dimarco offering attacking options from the left.
Up front, captain Lautaro Martinez will lead the line alongside Mehdi Taremi, who may get the nod ahead of Arnautovic to freshen up the attack, with Martinez looking to continue his excellent form in front of goal.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, de Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Frattesi, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Taremi
Key Stats
- This is the first-ever European meeting between BSC Young Boys and Inter Milan. Notably, the Swiss side has never lost at home in the UEFA Champions League against an Italian side, winning 2-1 vs Juventus in 2018 and drawing 3-3 with Atalanta in 2021.
- Inter Milan have not faced a Swiss side in major European competition since September 1997, when they beat Neuchâtel Xamax 2-0 with goals from Francesco Moriero and Maurizio Ganz.
- Young Boys have lost each of their last three games in the UEFA Champions League and could lose four in succession for the first time in their history.
- Inter Milan are without a win in their last three away games in the UEFA Champions League (D2 L1), their longest such winless run since November 2019.
- Since Inter Milan’s first season in the UEFA Champions League under Simone Inzaghi in 2021/22, they have kept more clean sheets than any other side (17), including four in their last five games.
Player to Watch
Lautaro Martinez
Lautaro Martinez has been in exceptional form for Inter Milan this season, continuing to demonstrate why he is one of the most reliable forwards in European football. The Argentine striker already has a handful of goals in both Serie A and the UEFA Champions League, consistently showing his clinical finishing and ability to lead from the front.
Notably, Martinez is on the brink of becoming Inter’s all-time top non-Italian scorer and is just one goal away from matching Adriano’s record of 14 goals for Inter in the Champions League. His movement, pressing, and leadership on the field make him an integral part of Simone Inzaghi’s setup. Against a Young Boys side that has struggled in defence, Martinez’s ability to find spaces and exploit them could prove decisive.
Prediction
BSC Young Boys 0-3 Inter Milan
Given their form and experience, Inter Milan head into this match as clear favourites. Simone Inzaghi’s side has proven to be defensively resilient in Europe, and their ability to control games should allow them to dictate the tempo against a struggling Young Boys. The Swiss champions have shown little to suggest they can pull off an upset, and their leaky defence is likely to be exposed by Inter’s clinical attack.
Young Boys may put up a fight on home soil, but the quality gap between the two teams is evident, and it is difficult to see the hosts preventing another defeat. Inter’s ability to strike early and control the game from midfield should see them through comfortably.