Inter Milan vs Arsenal: Match Preview
- therookiereporters
- Jan 21
- 3 min read
Anticipation is mounting as we draw nearer to kick-off tonight, with Arsenal set to face off against Inter Milan. Two sides that rarely face one another will battle it out on the pitch in a match that promises to bring it all; action, entertainment, and, above all, world-class football. But who will come out on top?
Before today, Inter Milan and Arsenal have only faced each other 3 times. Both teams are in good form, with Inter Milan winning 4 of their last 5 games in all competitions, and Arsenal winning 3 of their last 5 matches - neither side has lost in their last 5 games. The Italian team will play host to the Champions League’s top side for this encounter - and with both teams hungry for a victory, it really could be anyone’s game.
It was Inter Milan who ended Arsenal’s unbeaten streak last year in the Champions League with a penalty by H. Çalhanoğlu in the first half’s injury time. They then went on to lose the final against PSG in a shocking 5-0 defeat in their 8th successive appearance in the Champions League. Arsenal were also knocked out by PSG in the semi finals last year after losing 1-3 on aggregate - the furthest they had reached in the cup stage since 2008-2009. With all that in mind, though, Arsenal have remained unbeaten in the Champions League stage so far, with Inter Milan losing their two most recent games.
When taking into account each team’s form in their respective leagues, Inter Milan are doing very well. In Serie A, Inter Milan remain unbeaten. Despite their early Derby loss to AC Milan in the opening game of the season, Inter have gone on to claim 25 of 27 points from games, drawing 2-2 against the reigning champions Napoli. One of their biggest talents, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, scored during that game, but he will sadly sit out against Arsenal tonight. Denzel Dumfries, a key wingback player for the club, has also been out from injury since November, and will not be on the pitch tonight either.
With a game against Manchester United on the horizon, it is possible that Arteta might keep some players at home to be fresh for Sunday’s game. In short, Arsenal’s advancement to the round of 16 is very secure, and they do not necessarily need to win tonight’s game, thus taking some of the pressure off of them. They will go into tonight’s game without Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and Max Dowman, who have all picked up injuries and will remain in London while the squad travels to Italy. It also looks as though Gabriel Jesus will make another appearance tonight, marking his second in European football this season. Eze and Merino also have the potential to be called up if Arteta rotates the squad, given their heavy playing schedule with FA Cup, Champions League and Premier League games.
When talking about tonight’s game, Inter Milan’s Manager, Cristian Chivu, spoke openly about the competition;
“Arsenal and Bayern [Munich] are the strongest teams in Europe right now, but I’m also aware of who we are. We won’t start feeling defeated; we will be the best version of ourselves.”
There is no doubt that tonight’s game will show a lot of quality and performance from both sides. Both are top sides in their respective leagues - so who will be crowned the winner?”
Article written by Naeemah Pathan
