Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid predictions: Giants set for San Siro stalemate
- Inter’s 4-0 win over Salernitana at the weekend was their eighth in a row
- Atletico head to Italy on the back of a routine 5-0 win over Las Palmas
- Recommended bet: Draw
Last season’s Champions League runners-up Inter Milan are in the mood to go one better this season after a storming campaign in both Europe and Serie A, but they know that Atletico Madrid will be the toughest of opponents to overcome.
Atletico, managed by former Inter midfielder Diego Simeone, are consistently tough to beat in Spain and the Champions League, proved by a triumphant group-stage schedule in the autumn.
They head to the San Siro in mixed form, though they always manage to raise their levels for the big European ties.
Team news
Inter will line up in their trademark 3-5-2 formation though one key figure missing from the line-up is likely to be centre-back Francesco Acerbi.
The 35-year-old has recovered from a calf problem but is training on his own and Simone Inzaghi will not take any risks. Stefan de Vrij is lined up to step in.
For Atletico, Alvaro Morata has made a quicker-than-expected recovery from an ankle problem but would presumably only make the bench.
Gabriel Paulista is a new injury concern so the return of Jose Gimenez means Simeone has a like-for-like replacement at the back of his 3-5-2 formation.
The stats
Inter have lost only one of their last 13 Champions League games, keeping clean sheets in eight of those. They were unbeaten in the group stage (W3, D3).
Inter have won eight games in a row and kept clean sheets in five of their last six matches.
Seven of the eight goals scored by Inter in the group stage came in the second half.
Atletico have lost only one of their last nine in this competition, and went unbeaten (W4, D2) through the group stage.
Manchester City were the only side to score more goals in the group stage than Atletico.
Prediction
Inter’s eight-match winning streak makes them a hard side to dislike in this last-16 tie against Atletico but the Spaniards are a tough team to budge on these occasions.
Both clubs went unbeaten through the group stage though it was Atletico who found scoring easier, banging in 17 goals compared to Inter’s eight.
Both teams play with well-packed five-man back lines and stifling midfields and chances are going to be at a premium with the stakes this high.
Simeone will set up his team to be hard to beat and Inter are well aware there is a threat on the counter from the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Memphis Depay and others.
In a game likely short of risks, the draw looks a perfectly acceptable play.
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