In order for Inter Milan to secure their spot in the Round of 16, they must maintain their unbeaten record at home (W3) in the UEFA Champions League (UCL). This will mark their fourth consecutive appearance in the knockout stages, thanks to an impressive 12 consecutive home games without a loss in the competition (W10, D2). Their strong defensive performance has been a key factor in their recent UCL success in Milan, as they have kept a clean sheet in each of their last five home games. If they manage to do so again, they will become the first team since Atlético Madrid in 2016 to achieve this feat six times. However, their history of conceding one goal against Monaco in three of their last four competitive matches suggests that it may not be an easy task.
Despite having a 57% win rate in this season’s UCL, Monaco face a tough challenge in securing a top-eight finish due to the strength of their opponents. According to Opta, they have a 93% chance of finishing in the top 16, which would result in them being seeded against one of the eight clubs finishing 17th-24th. Their away record in this edition of the UCL (W1, D1, L1) reflects their struggles in previous years, as they have only won one of their last ten away games (D4, L5). However, they may find some hope in their sole victory on Italian soil this season, although it was against UCL debutants Bologna, who have struggled with just five points in the league phase.
Keep an eye on Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who has kept six clean sheets in the league phase and is close to breaking André Onana’s club record of eight in the 2022/23 UCL season. On the other hand, Monaco have scored the most goals from defenders (four) in this league phase, with Mohammed Salisu recording three away goals in the second half of all competitions this season. An interesting statistic to note is that 17 of Inter Milan’s last 22 UCL matches have had under 2.5 total goals.
