Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk – Make-or-break time for Inter at San Siro Updated for December 2024

Updated: 8th December 2024

UEFA Champions' League Group B preview – Inter Milan vs. Shakhtar Donetsk – San Siro – Wednesday, 9 December 2020 – 20:00 BST

Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk Preview

Inter Milan will need to come back from the brink of ouster when they host Shakhtar Donetsk for a do-or-die Group B clash at the San Siro on Wednesday night. Antonio Conte's side sit at the bottom with 5 points, two behind their forthcoming rivals who are placed second in the cluster.

Shakhtar Donetsk, despite incredible wins over Real Madrid in both the legs, nothing short of a victory at the San Siro will help their cause although the Ukrainian side will progress if both the games of the Group B cluster end in draws.

On the domestic front, Conte's men are on good run having won all their last three Serie A games including a 3-1 win over Bologna at the San Siro last weekend. Achraf Hakimi bagged a brace after Romeu Lukaku struck the third.

Coach Luís Castro's Shakhtar have had a very good season and have gone through their 12 Ukrainian Premier League fixtures without being beaten, their last outing being a 5-1 over Mynai at Kyiv.

Inter Milan Champions League form: DDLLW

Inter Milan form (all competitions): DWLWWW

Shakhtar Donetsk Champions League form: WDLLW

Shakhtar Donetsk form (all competitions): WDLWWW

Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk Team News

For Inter, midfielder Radja Nainggolan is yet to recover from his calf injury while Matias Vecino looks doubtful with a nagging knee issue.

Ashley Young, Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez all look set for recalls to the starting XI while  Arturo Vidal will be back from suspension after  missing the win over Monchengladbach. Barella, Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni and Roberto Gagliardini were cautioned in the Borussia Park game and will have to be careful of avoiding a one-match ban on Wednesday night.

As for Shakhtar, Brazilian striker Junior Moraes was forced off after 25 minutes in last week's win over Real Madrid and is likely to be out until 2021 with a serious thigh problem. Moraes's replacement Dentinho who scored against Real last week will have the company of Dodo and Tete on the flanks, all in upfront roles.

Inter Milan probable starting XI:

Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Hakimi, Gagliardini, Barella, Brozovic, Young; Martinez, Lukaku

Shakhtar Donetsk probable starting XI:

Trubin; Dodo, Vitao, Bondar, Matvienko; Stepanenko, Kovalenko, Marlos; Tete, Dentinho, Taison

Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk Verdict

It would be grave error on the part of Inter Milan to underestimate a side that has tasted blood in big wins over Real Madrid but a point to note is that the Ukrainians capitulated big time to Gladbach, losing 0-10 in aggregate to the Bundesliga side from both their Group outings.

Conte's men have the ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most and while December 9th's match at San Siro promises to be a hotly-contested battle, Inter could just do enough to come out on top and pray that the result of the Madrid-Monchengladbach goes their way.

Inter Milan vs Shakhtar Donetsk Bookmaker odds

All the Bet365 odds quoted are subject to change and were correct as of 08/12/2020.

• Inter Milan to win: 2/7
• Shakhtar Donetsk to win: 17/2
• Draw: 5/1

Correct score odds

• Inter Milan 2-0: 7/1
• Inter Milan 2-1: 8/1
• Inter Milan 3-0: 8/1
• Inter Milan 3-1: 9/1
• Inter Milan 1-0: 9/1
• Draw 1-1: 11/1
• Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1: 25/1
• Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0: 28/1

Anytime Goalscorer odds

• Romelu Lukaku: 1/2
• Lautaro Martinez: 8/11
• Nicolo Barella: 2/1
• Dentinho: 5/1
• Tete: 9/2

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