Inter Milan Vs Arsenal
The legendary San Siro will be the stage for one of the standout clashes of Matchday 4 in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), as Inter Milan and Arsenal face off with their unbeaten records on the line (W2, D1). Both teams have yet to concede a goal in their opening three matches, though Inter’s defense has been under considerable pressure, facing a staggering 53 shots. Manager Simone Inzaghi has urged his players to “be more clinical” in attack after a lackluster 1-0 win over Venezia on Sunday, a result that extended their unbeaten streak to eight games across all competitions (W7, D1).
Inter’s home form in the UCL is particularly strong, having won 10 of their last 14 home matches in the competition (D2, L2). Additionally, they’ve enjoyed a dominant record against English sides at home (W11, D3, L3), which bodes poorly for an Arsenal team that has struggled on the road recently. The Gunners have only won once in their last five away games (D2, L2), a narrow victory at second-tier Preston, and a recent three-match winless streak in the Premier League (D1, L2) has seen them drop out of the top four. Mikel Arteta will hope that a positive result in the UCL can help restore confidence to his squad.
Arsenal have earned a draw in Italy this season, holding Atalanta to a stalemate on Matchday 1, and they have a strong recent record against Serie A sides (W6, D1, L1). However, they have struggled for goals in their recent UCL trips to Italy, failing to score in their last four away games (D1, L3). The last Arsenal player to find the net on Italian soil in the UCL was Emmanuel Adebayor in March 2008.
Key battle: Inter’s Federico Dimarco, who missed the first two UCL games of the season, has been instrumental in recent matches, providing assists for both the late winner against Young Boys and for a goal in the win over Venezia. Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka will look to contain the attacking wing-back. With nine direct goal contributions in his last 11 UCL appearances (G5, A4), Saka’s impact could be crucial.
Hot stat: In the two previous encounters between these clubs, the away side won by a margin of at least three goals on both occasions.