Inter vs Atletico Madrid: A first time meeting between these two sides

Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid will meet for the first time ever in the UEFA Champions League when the two sides square off at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday. This game will also see former Lazio teammates Simone Inzaghi and Diego Simeone face one another in European club football’s premier competition, and it is sure to be a very interesting tactical battle between two players who shared a locker room at the Stadio Olimpico from 1999 to 2003.

The Nerazzurri come into this match in excellent form, and are on an eight match winning streak across all competitions. Inzaghi’s team successfully defended their Supercoppa Italiana crown by beating Napoli 1-0 last month, and currently hold a commanding nine point lead in Serie A ahead of Juventus in the battle for the Scudetto. Last season saw Inter make an impressive run to the Champions League final, where they were ultimately beaten 1-0 by Manchester City, and the Nerazzurri will be keen on proving to doubters that they can again challenge for the coveted prize this season.

Although Inter ultimately finished second in their group behind surprise winners Real Sociedad, the Nerazzurri have been quite solid in this competition. They have lost just one of their last 13 ties – which was their defeat in last season’s final – but that record could come under a serious examination by an Atleti side who scored a whopping 17 goals to top their Champions League quartet.

Los Rojiblancos were mostly solid in their Champions League group stage campaign and won their group by four points over second-placed Lazio. While they have never faced Inter in the Champions League before, the Spanish side have an excellent record against Italian teams in European competition, with five wins from their last six meetings. In addition, Atletico did beat Inter in their only European meeting, which was during the 2010 UEFA Super Cup that Los Rojiblancos won 2-0.

However, consistency has been a problem for Atletico Madrid as of late. Although they come into this game having beaten Las Palmas 5-0, Simeone’s team were on a three match winless run prior to that. The round of 16 has also proven to be a stumbling block for Los Rojiblancos in past seasons, and with Inter in brilliant form, the visitors could be in for a tricky test at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday evening.

Key stats ahead of Inter vs Atletico Madrid

• This will be the first ever meeting between Inter and Atletico Madrid in the UCL
• Atletico Madrid’s away record against Italian sides is W5 D4 L6
• However, Los Rojiblancos have won five of their last six European meetings with Italian teams
• Inter have lost just one of their last 13 UCL matches (1-0 in the 2023 UCL final)
• The Nerazzurri are on an eight game winning streak across all comps
• Inter’s home record against Spanish sides is W11 D10 L4