Author: Vishwajit Sawant
On Wednesday, Inter Milan will find solace from their problems in Serie A as they prepare to host Benfica in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League at San Siro. Despite being considered the underdogs, Simone Inzaghi’s side surprised everyone by returning from the Estadio da Luz with a 2-0 lead in the first leg, effectively putting themselves in a strong position to advance to the semi-finals.
Should Inter reach the semi-finals, it will be the first time since the 2009-10 season when José Mourinho led them to victory in the competition. What’s more, if he wins, coach Simone Inzaghi could become the first Italian to lead Inter to the UCL semi-finals since Eugenio Bersellini in 1980-81.
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Benfica, meanwhile, face an uphill battle to overcome Inter, having never managed to beat the Serie A side in four official European meetings, losing three and drawing one. The odds are stacked against them too, as Inter have never lost a European qualifier by winning the first leg by two goals or more, a feat they achieved eight times before this season’s first leg.
Benfica’s record in overturning a first-leg deficit of two goals or more is equally dismal, with the only example being the comeback against FC Nürnberg in the 1961-62 quarter-finals. In addition, Benfica are aiming to become only the third Portuguese club to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League, following in the footsteps of FC Porto in 1993-94 and 2003-04, the latter winning the competition that year.
Inter Milan news
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Inter will be without two important defenders for the return leg against Benfica, as Stefan de Vrij left the last game early due to an ankle injury and Milan Skriniar is likely to miss out due to a back problem. However, Francesco Acerbi should return to the starting line-up. Hakan Calhanoglu has returned from a thigh injury and is available, but Marcelo Brozovic should start in his place.
Inter will be hoping that Romelu Lukaku, who has scored nine Champions League goals for the club, can add another record and become the fifth player in Inter’s history to reach double figures in the competition. Meanwhile, Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez could form a partnership up front.
Benfica News
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Benfica will welcome back Nicolas Otamendi, who missed the first leg through suspension. Florentino is also available after serving his suspension, but Julian Draxler and Mihailo Ristic are struggling with muscle injuries and are unlikely to play. Gonçalo Ramos will be looking to end his goal drought, having failed to score in his last three matches.
It’s highly likely that Inter, whose defense has been known for its impeccable record without conceding a goal, will concede a goal in this match, as Schmidt’s side desperately tries to keep their hopes of progressing in European competition alive. In addition, Benfica’s defensive capabilities will be strengthened with the return of Otamendi, who has historically made Benfica a solid team in away games in European competitions. However, both teams seem to be struggling with low morale at the moment, and Inzaghi’s Inter, who have a special talent for performing well in cup competitions, could secure a closely-fought tie with minimal goals to set up a potential semi-final against Napoli or Milan.
Prediction: Inter Milan 1-1 Benfica
Aggregate score: Inter Milan 3-1 Benfica