Plzen vs Inter prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2022-09-12 16:45.
In a highly-competitive Group C featuring three former UEFA Champions League (UCL) winners, Viktoria PlzeÅ fell to a disappointing 5-1 defeat to Barcelona on matchday one. That halted a club-record 34-game unbeaten competitive streak and although they were trailing by just a goal until first-half stoppage time, the result rarely looked in doubt.
They now meet Inter Milan, and the stakes are high if PlzeÅ want to remain competitive in the group and keep tabs on a perhaps more attainable third-place finish. There are reasons to be positive, as the hosts followed their matchday one loss with a league victory, and having recorded four wins across their last five UCL home matches (D1), they might feel confident of a turnaround here. That run included a 2-1 win over Roma, which saw PlzeÅ extend an unbeaten record at home against Italian clubs (W2, D2).
Inter needed a late goal to win 1-0 last weekend, halting consecutive losses that included a 2-0 UCL defeat to Bayern Munich. The alarm bells arenāt ringing just yet as Inter recovered from just one point after their first two group games last campaign to reach the Round of 16. However, thereās unwanted history at stake as Inter have only lost their opening two UCL games on one other occasion (2006/07).
On a brighter note, Inter can post consecutive away UCL wins for the first time since October 2011, after a 1-0 win at Liverpool last season. The Italians havenāt fared well on their recent travels however, losing their last two away games, including the Milan derby, but they havenāt lost three designated competitive away games since May 2017, so they may feel confident about getting off the mark here.
Players to watch: PlzeÅās Jan SĆ½kora scored in two of his last three matches, including a UCL debut goal against Barcelona, and he could become the first Czech player to score in their first two appearances in the competition. Meanwhile, a goal for striker Edin Džeko could be a good omen for Inter, with his side on the day winning on his last five goalscoring UCL appearances.
Hot stat: Inter have failed to score before half-time in nine of their last ten UCL matches.