The final set of UEFA Champions League group stage clashes commences tomorrow, and the headliner fixture hast be Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan. The Bernabeu hosts a clash that will determine the winner of Group D.
Google Result Probability sees the hosts having a 44% chance to take all three points from this one. A draw projects at 27% while a Milan reads 29%. With that all said, let’s run through the FYIs and team news for both sides.
Real Madrid vs Inter Milan (Champions League Group Stage) FYIs
Kickoff: Tues Dec 7, 8pm, Estadio Santiago Bernabeau
UCL Group Standings: Real Madrid 12 pts, 1st Inter Milan 10 pts, 2nd
Starting XI Predictions: go here
Form Guide (UCL) Real Madrid WWWLW Inter Milan WWWDL
Form Guide (all competitions) Real Madrid WWWWW Inter Milan DWWWW
Team News for Both Sides
Karim Benzema has certainly silence all the critics this season, as he’s been in fine form. However, he’ll be missing from this one, as he picked up a hamstring injury versus Real Sociedad. He joins Gareth Bale (really REALLY surprising that’s he out injured) and Dani Ceballos on the sidelines.
Switching over to the visitors, Joaquin Correa picked up an injury on the weekend, and he’ll join a sizable group of sidelined players for Inter.
The list includes Matteo Darmian, Christian Eriksen, Andrea Ranocchia, Stefan de Vrij.
Prediction: Real Madrid 2, Inter Milan 1
We’re going with Los Reyes Del Europa in this one, as the Blancos have really been in form lately.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.