Inter Milan are eager to take a giant step towards automatic qualification as they take on a Sparta Prague team on the brink of elimination.
Sparta Prague have four points on board following their six games so far in the league phase. While they are still mathematically in the hunt for a top-24 spot, they would need perfect results in the remaining two games against Inter Milan and Bayer Leverkusen.
It is a tough ask, as a loss against Inter Milan on Wednesday would undoubtedly spell the end of their journey this season in the Champions League. They did suffer a 4-2 loss away to Feyenoord in their most recent game in the competition, as Sparta is set to take part in another tough fixture against Inter Milan.
Sparta have faced the Nerazzurri four times on previous occasions, but never in the Champions League. They will set out to do something no other Czech side has done before and beat Inter Milan in this competition, although it will be a tough ask for Lars Friis’s men on Wednesday.
Simone Inzaghi will want his team to display consistency, although his players have shown plenty of promise with their most recent game. Inter Milan climbed in the Serie A standings into second and are now increasingly looking like the team to challenge Napoli for the Scudetto.
On matters in the Champions League, Inter Milan suffered a setback in their quest for automatic qualification the last time out. Inzaghi’s side were the only team until the previous matchday not to have conceded a goal, which they eventually did in the second half injury time to Bayer Leverkusen, which ended up costing their the points.
Inter Milan are well within range of finishing the league phase in one of the top-eight places, although to be watertight on their commitment, Inzaghi’s men will need a perfect end with two victories. As they travel to Prague as favourites to bring home three points, the Nerazzurri will finish their league-phase games with a home clash with AS Monaco.
Team News & Tactics
Sparta Prague
Lars Friis must make do without three players ahead of this game against Inter Milan. Lukas Haraslin, Angelo Preciado, and Imanol are all missing from action for the hosts. The latter two are long-term absentees, while Haraslin is struggling with a hamstring issue.
On the positive side, Elias Cobbaut might be ready to rejoin the squad and slot alongside Martin Vitik and Filip Panak in Sparta’s back three. Tomas Wiesner and Matej Rynes will occupy the wing-back positions for the hosts, while Kaan Kairinen and Qazim Laci will play in the central midfield.
Nigerian forward Victor Olatunji and Albion Rrahmani are Sparta Prague’s biggest threat in the attacking third, while Veljko Birmancevic will support the duo in the front three.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Vindahl; Panak, Vitik, Cobbaut; Wiesner, Kairinen, Laci, Rynes; Birmancevic, Olatunji, Rahmani
Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi continues to miss a host of his key stars ahead of this crucial trip to Prague. Yann Bisseck, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Joaquin Correa are missing from action, although defensive pair Benjamin Pavard and Francesco Acerbi recently returned to fitness. There could also be a place for Henrikh Mkhitaryan on the bench as the Armenian also returned from injury.
Pavard might come straight into the lLineupas he did at the weekend, alongside Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni. Denzel Dumfries will continue to foray on the right wing, with Federico Dimarco likely to keep his place ahead of Carlos Augusto. Kristjan Asllani will continue to play in the middle of the park in the absence of Calhanoglu, with Nicolo Barella and Piotr Zielinski on either side.
With a goal in each of his last two Serie A games and drawing level with Mauro Icardi for being the highest-scoring foreign player for Inter Milan, skipper Lautaro Martinez will lead the line alongside usual strike partner Marcus Thuram.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Key Stats
- Inter Milan are unbeaten against Czech opposition in their Champions League history.
- Inter Milan have won seven of their last nine games across all competitions.
- Inter Milan have conceded only one goal in this season’s Champions League, tied with Liverpool.
- Sparta Prague have never faced Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
- Sparta Prague have lost their last four matches in the Champions League.
Player to Watch
Lautaro Martinez
After a slow start to the season, Martinez has sparked into life of late, following some goalscoring performances for Inter Milan. The Argentine has netted in his last two Serie A outings equalling Mauro Icardi as the club’s highest-ever foreign scorer.
While he will be keen to surpass that mark at the weekend when his team takes on US Lecce, progressing in the Champions League will be on Martinez’s mind at the moment. Inter Milan still needs to ensure a guaranteed place in the top-eight, as Inzaghi will bank on his captain to lead the way against Sparta Prague on Wednesday.
Prediction
Sparta Prague 0-3 Inter Milan
Sparta Prague have lost their last four UEFA Champions League games and might be on course for a fifth as they take on yet another top-level opposition in Inter Milan. Moreover, the Czech side have not played a competitive game in over a month, and now taking on the Italian champions will be too big for Lars Friis’s men.
On the other hand, Inter Milan have returned to their best form, as seen at the weekend, as Sparta might face their force on Wednesday. The Nerazzurri are unlikely to concede a goal away from home, and their sparkling form in the attack could see them put three past their hosts, as Inter Milan are expected to take a giant step towards automatic qualification.