Inter – Salzburg : Preview & Prediction
With just one point separating the top three teams in UEFA Champions League (UCL) Group D, Inter Milan’s meeting with Salzburg on Matchday 3 could prove pivotal in the grand plan to qualify for the knockout rounds. Inter should be in good spirits after a 3-0 win over Torino at the weekend, which maintained their status as Serie A (SA) title contenders and extended their impressive record to eight wins in their last 11 official matches (E2, P1).
Four points from the first two group games keep the “nerazzurri” firmly in the hunt for a top-two finish in Group D, but their recent poor performance at the San Siro remains a concern. Simone Inzaghi’s men have produced mixed results in their last three home games (G1, E1, P1), but this match could bring relief given that Inter have never lost a home game against Austrian clubs in all competitions (G7, E1).
Salzburg lost 1-0 to LASK over the weekend and lost ground in the Austrian Bundesliga title race. Winless in three official matches (E1, P2), the onus is on the visiting side to ensure that last season’s Italian curse is not repeated as the Red Bulls finished third in their UCL group that included AC Milan, losing 4-0 at this stadium before subsequently being eliminated from the Europa League by another Italian club, Roma.
Recent form in this competition is another hurdle for the visitors, who have won just twice in their last ten UCL matches (E4, P4). However, one of those wins came away against Benfica on matchday one, which now gives them a chance to make it back-to-back away wins in the UCL group stage for the first time in their history.
Players to watch: Marcus Thuram scored Inter’s first goal the previous weekend, managing to contribute in his club’s goals for the fifth consecutive match (two goals, three assists). Salzburg could use an inspired performance from Roko Šimić, who scored and assisted in a 2-0 win in their last away game in the UCL.
Key stat: In five of Salzburg’s last seven away games in the UCL, the first goal of the match came in the 15th minute or earlier.
Inter – Salzburg : Betting Tips
Inter – Win Odds: 1.35
