The Stats Zone
February 9 2023, 20:45 · Alex Lawes

2022-23 UEFA Champions League knockout stage team preview: Inter Milan

2022-23 UEFA Champions League knockout stage team preview: Inter Milan

IN BRIEF

Manager: Simone Inzaghi

Group stage performance: 2nd (LWWDWL - vs Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Viktoria Plzen)

UEFA Champions Leagues/European Cups: 3 (1963/64, 1964/65, 2009/10)

Last season’s performance: Last 16

SO FAR…

Throughout the 2010’s, after winning the treble in 2010, Inter Milan became an inconsistent member of Europe’s elite and often failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stages.

However, they have become stalwarts in Europe’s top-tier club competition in recent seasons once again. The Nerrazzuri reached the knockout stages last season but were beaten by eventual runners’ up Liverpool in the Last 16.

They have reached the Last 16 once again after managing to finish above Barcelona in the group stages. Inter were beaten 2-0 by Bayern Munich in their opening match of the tournament and were then beaten by the Bavarians by the same score line in their penultimate match, too.

They earned a slender 1-0 win against Barcelona in San Siro before a thrilling and crazy 3-3 draw at Camp Nou to ensure they stayed above Barca in the group stages. That was combined with comfortable victories, both home and away, against Czech champions, Viktoria Plzen.

They struggled in the first-half of the Serie A season for consistency but, under the management of Simone Inzaghi, they have generally improved following the FIFA World Cup with an impressive and more cohesive style of football.

WHAT ARE INTER MILAN’S CHANCES IN THE KNOCKOUT STAGES?

Inter Milan haven’t reached the last eight of the UEFA Champions League since a surprise defeat to Schalke in the 2010/11 quarter-finals. That was a season after they managed to win their third ever European title against Bayern Munich in the Bernabeu, under the management of Jose Mourinho.

They have managed to play in the last eight of the competition just twice since the 2005/06 campaign so it would be a major step forward in their modern development as a club, and the ownership of Suning, if they made it through this time.

They play Serie A’s recent nemesis, Porto, in the first knockout match of the tournament and it should be a close contest given that the Portuguese reigning champions have improved as the season have gone on.

Lautaro Martinez has been in impressive form before and after the FIFA World Cup break and he will be relied upon to be the key potent force for the side in the next stage. In terms of winning it, it appears extremely unlikely with, as mentioned, a simple knockout win being a bit of a relative success for the club.

ODDS TO WIN THE 2022-23 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 33/1

Odds used are the best at Oddschecker at the time of writing