The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is the backdrop for Inter Milan’s first UEFA Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk since November 2021. The arrival of the Ukrainian giants looks like a stunning opportunity for the Nerazzurri, who lost 4-3 at home to Club Brugge.
Cristian Chivu’s side started this season’s league stage with a whimper. After losing 2-1 to Real Madrid on the opening matchday, Inter unexpectedly lost at home to Club Brugge and for the first time since the 2006/07 season, it was back-to-back defeats at the start of a new Champions League campaign.
However, the reigning Serie A champions quickly got back on track in the domestic championship. Despite conceding the first goal away to Bologna on Saturday, they staged another comeback to cement their place at the top of the table with a 3-1 win over Renato Dall’Ara.
Like the hosts, Shakhtar came into this match with another domestic victory, beating Kolos Kovalivka 2-1 at home to maintain their two-point lead at the top of the Ukrainian Premier League. However, unlike Inter, Arda Turan’s men have managed to translate their domestic advantage onto the continental stage.
Shakhtar drew 1-1 with PSV Eindhoven on matchday one before facing AEK Athens last week. Goals either side of half-time saw the 16-time Ukrainian champions to a convincing 3-1 win, marking their best two-leg start to the Champions League since 2014/15.
Match preview
Inter
“Inter” not only started the new Champions League season with consecutive defeats for the first time in twenty years, but also experienced the longest losing streak in this competition. Chivu’s men have lost four in a row in the Champions League and have lost seven of their last eight in Europe’s most prestigious club tournament (W1).
Perhaps another match at the Meazza could inspire a much-needed revival, but the Nerazzurri would be well advised not to take anything for granted after losing their last four Champions League matches here. If it’s any consolation, those four losses remain their only home defeats in any competition since the start of December 2025 (W16, D3).
Determined to break a negative club record in Europe, Inter can take confidence from a brutal run against Shakhtar. A 2-0 home win in their last meeting five years ago confirmed their unbeaten record (3G, D4) against this opposition, marking their sixth clean sheet in seven head-to-head matches.
Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar, without a goal in their last five matches against Inter, must punch above their weight after reaching the play-offs if they are to avoid losing their first three Champions League games for the first time since 2014/15. But history is on the side of “Inter” here.
The Ukrainian clubs have drawn their last nine matches (D4, L5) against Italian sides since Shakhtar’s win over Atalanta in 2019, perhaps best illustrating the scale of the task that awaits the Turanian side on Wednesday. In contrast, the visitors start proceedings in the purple patch having won 10 of 12 matches this season (D1, L1), including the last seven.
Shakhtar’s red-hot kit offers some hope to traveling fans as they tire of seeing their side slip on the road. Indeed, they are winless in their last seven away games in the Champions League (D2, L5), despite finding the back of the net five times in that dreaded run.
Team News
In addition to John Stones, who has been sidelined for a long time, Inter will also be without Benjamin Pavard and Curtis Jones, who are recovering from thigh injuries. Furthermore, Lautaro Martinez will be out until the next international break, meaning either Ange-Yoan Bonny or Francesco Pio Esposito will partner Marcus Thuram in attack.
Meanwhile, Shakhtar will arrive in Italy without Eguinaldo and Alaa Gram, while Marlon Santos and Diego Arroyo will miss out due to long-term fitness issues. However, star strikers Pedrinho and Kaua Elias are expected to start despite not being allowed the weekend off.
“Inter” – “Shakhtar Donetsk” potential starting teams
Inter (3-5-2): J. Martinez; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Diuf, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito.
Shakhtar Donetsk (4-2-3-1): Riznik; Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko, P. Henrique; Ocheretko, Gomes; Cemetery, Godfather, Newerton; Ilyas.
“Inter” – “Shakhtar Donetsk” prediction
If “Inter” return to the fight for a place in the playoffs, there is no room for error. Despite Shakhtar’s brilliant form and promising start to the Champions League, this is a match for Inter to lose and we can’t see the Nerazzurri dropping any more points at home.
Prediction: “Inter” will win
| Follow us Google News For more updates on Serie A and Italian football |