Champions League group stage recap: Unbeaten Inter show steel to progress
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Article summary
Inter are dreaming of a second final in a row after qualifying from Group D.
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Last season's finalists are through to another UEFA Champions League round of 16 as unbeaten Inter finished second in Group D.
Campaign so far
Group D runners-up: W3 D3 L0 F8 A5
Top scorer: Lautaro Martínez, Alexis Sánchez (2)
20/09: Real Sociedad 1-1 Inter – Méndez 4; La. Martínez 87
03/10: Inter 1-0 Benfica – Thuram 62
24/10: Inter 2-1 Salzburg – Alexis Sánchez 19, Hakan Çalhanoğlu 64(p); Gloukh 57
08/11: Salzburg 0-1 Inter – La. Martínez 85 (p)
29/11: Benfica 3-3 Inter – João Mário 5 13 34; Arnautović 51, Frattesi 58, Alexis Sánchez 72 (p)
12/12: Inter 0-0 Real Sociedad
Campaign in ten words: Quality and confidence the keys for last season's finalists Inter.
UEFA.com reporter's view
After almost matching Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League final last term, Inter look to have built confidence and awareness of their strengths from that defeat. They played with real authority in the group stage, booking a place in the knockout phase with two games to spare. Following their hard-fought draw at Real Sociedad in the opening match, Inter won three consecutive games, with Lautaro Martínez playing a leading role. He is much more important than the two goals to his name suggest.
How do Inter play?
The system is a 3-5-2, where wing-backs are called to cover the entire flank. Unsurprisingly, Simone Inzaghi often replaces them both during games, with Matteo Darmian – or Juan Cuadrado when fit – and Carlos Augusto good alternative options to Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco. In the midfield trio, Hakan Çalhanoğlu is the deep-lying playmaker while Nicolò Barella and Henrikh Mkhitaryan lead the pressing and support the attackers. Having arrived in the summer, Marcus Thuram has wasted no time in proving the perfect attacking partner for Martínez.
Fantasy star performers
Francesco Acerbi – 28 points
Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Yann Sommer – 26 points
Carlos Augusto – 25 points
Key stats
• Inter's equaliser at Real Sociedad on Matchday 1 was their 200th goal in the Champions League (group stage to final).
• The Nerazzurri's victory over Salzburg on Matchday 3 was their 100th in the European Cup/Champions League (including qualifying).
• Alexis Sánchez became the top Chilean goalscorer in Champions League history by netting his 16th goal in the competition against Salzburg.
Squad changes
In: Tajon Buchanan
Out: Juan Cuadrado
