Inter vs Benfica prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2023-10-02 19:00.
Head coach Simone Inzaghi admits Serie A pace-setters Inter Milan are finding it “difficult” to hit top form every game due to their hectic schedule. The Nerazzurri bounced back from a shock defeat to Sassuolo by hammering Salernitana 4-0 on Saturday night, but that was their fifth of seven games over 22 days, and the manager claimed a “huge expenditure of energy every three days” is making life hard for his players.
Attention now turns to the UEFA Champions League (UCL), a competition in which the Italian giants were runners-up last season. They drew their opening group game 1-1 in Spain against Real Sociedad this time around, but will be confident of chalking up a victory on matchday two, given they have won five of their last six European outings at the San Siro (D1), keeping a clean sheet in each victory.
The only exception in that run came against upcoming visitors Benfica, a 3-3 draw during last year’s UCL quarter-finals. However, the Portuguese outfit have never beaten Inter in five previous H2Hs (D2, L3), ultimately losing that tie 5-4 on aggregate. That said, the Eagles are in good touch at the moment, registering a sixth win in seven outings (L1) by beating ten-man Porto 1-0 at the weekend.
Their only defeat during that run came in their first group game of this competition, suffering a 2-0 reverse at home to RB Salzburg. Supporters would be forgiven for having some confidence heading to the San Siro though, as Benfica are unbeaten in their last ten UCL away fixtures (W6, D4), despite conceding the first goal in four of those matches.
Key battle: Inter striker Lautaro MartĂnez became the first substitute in Serie A history to net four goals in one game during the demolition of Salernitana, taking his tally for the season to ten strikes in eight outings. He’ll be attempting to out-score Peter Musa, who is unbeaten in the last 19 games in which he has scored (W16, D3), including the 3-3 draw against Inter last season.
Hot streak: Benfica have netted at least twice in seven of their last eight UCL away matches.