Inter will host Benfica in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal after winning the first leg 2-0. Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku scored to give the Nerazzurri their lone win in their previous eight games, but they fell 1-0 to Serie A minnows Monza this weekend. They face a Benfica side that was expected to advance before the first leg but has already lost three games in a row heading into Wednesday’s second leg.
Inter team news
Because Inter center-backs Milan Skriniar and Stefan de Vrij are out with injuries, the back three of Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi, and Alessandro Bastoni will be played. Instead of Lukaku, who scored in the first leg, Simone Inzaghi’s club might start with Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez up front.
Benfica team news
Nicolas Otamendi was suspended for the first leg and will return to the starting XI in Europe after playing at the weekend. Julian Draxler, who has only scored once in eleven league games for Benfica this season, is out injured, as are Mihailo Ristic and Alexander Bah.
Inter vs Benfica score prediction
Inter’s season is starting to unravel. While Napoli has surged to the Serie A title, Inter are in risk of missing out on a top-four position due to a poor run of form. Benfica has given the Primeira Liga title race fresh life by losing two games in a row, in addition to the first-leg defeat, with Porto currently only four points behind. This game lacks the ingredients to be the round’s highlight, and while a scoring draw is possible, the tie is expected to fizzle out, with Inter advancing to the UCL quarterfinals.
Prediction: Inter 1-1 Benfica
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