Match Preview
Young Boys will host Inter Milan on Wednesday evening as both teams resume their Champions League campaigns. The three-time European champions Inter come into the match unbeaten and with four points from their opening fixtures, while their Swiss hosts have struggled, sitting pointless after two matches.
Following a commendable opening-day draw at Manchester City, Inter secured a resounding 4-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade at San Siro two weeks later. Coach Simone Inzaghi is relying on a squad filled with experience, as their starting XI boasts an average age above 30. This experience has paid off, as Inter has kept more clean sheets than any other team in the Champions League since Inzaghi took charge in 2021, with four shutouts in their last five outings.
Though Inter has recently been more vulnerable in Serie A, where they average over two goals per game, they bounced back from a derby defeat to AC Milan with three domestic wins, including a narrow victory over Roma, where Lautaro Martinez scored the decisive goal on a quick counter-attack. Inter has lost only once in ten matches this season and aims to end a three-match winless streak on the road in the Champions League.
On the other hand, Young Boys prepare for their first competitive meeting with Inter amid a challenging start to their Champions League campaign. The Swiss champions have suffered losses in both of their opening fixtures, conceding a total of eight goals, including a recent 5-0 defeat to Barcelona and a humiliating home loss to Aston Villa. They currently sit at the bottom of the standings, making their path to the playoffs appear daunting.
The reigning Swiss champions have also faced difficulties domestically, winning just two of their first ten matches in the Swiss Super League. The pressure led to the departure of former boss Patrick Rahmen, with Under-21 coach Joel Magnin stepping in as interim manager. Under his guidance, Young Boys secured a much-needed 2-1 win over Luzern last weekend.
Team News
Inter Milan may be facing some injury concerns, as both Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi were withdrawn during their recent match against Roma. With Calhanoglu likely to miss the trip to Switzerland, Inzaghi will be hoping for the return of fellow midfielders Kristjan Asllani and Piotr Zielinski. Inzaghi has also rotated his forwards recently, with Mehdi Taremi or Marko Arnautovic potentially joining in-form striker Marcus Thuram and captain Lautaro Martinez in the starting lineup.
Martinez is on the brink of becoming Inter’s all-time non-Italian top scorer, needing just one more goal to equal Adriano‘s record of 14 goals in Champions League history.
For Young Boys, Joel Magnin has a variety of attacking options, with Joel Monteiro emerging as their most productive player this season. Monteiro recently scored alongside Cedric Itten in the win against Luzern. Magnin has already made significant changes to the lineup, and further adjustments are likely against Inter. However, injuries will sideline Saidy Janko (muscular), Patric Pfeiffer (knee), and Tanguy Zoukrou (hip) for Wednesday’s clash.
Possible Starting Lineups:
Young Boys: Van Ballmoos; Athekame, Camara, Benito, Hadjam; Niasse, Lakomy; Monteiro, Ugrinic, Colley; Itten
Inter Milan: Sommer; Bisseck, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Frattesi, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Taremi
Inter not only boasts a solid defensive record with ten clean sheets in their last 16 Champions League matches, but they also possess a potent attack. Given Young Boys’ struggles, the Italian champions are expected to establish an early lead before solidifying their defense, conserving energy for their crucial league fixture on the weekend.
