Borussia Dortmund faces Serie A leaders Inter Milan in the final matchday of the UEFA Champions League group phase, with both teams aiming for direct qualification to the knockout stage.
Borussia Dortmund vs Inter Milan – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Wednesday, 28th January.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund Team News
Borussia Dortmund will be missing midfielder Marcel Sabitzer due to a calf injury. Defender Niklas Sule is also unavailable, as confirmed by head coach Niko Kovac. Additionally, wing-back Daniel Svensson is suspended after receiving a red card against Tottenham.
Despite these losses, Kovac remains optimistic: “If you combine our talent with physical strength over 90 minutes, we can compete at a high level.”
Furthermore, Aaron Anselmino is unavailable following his recall to Chelsea.
Serhou Guirassy continues as the main striker after a 3-0 victory over Union Berlin, where he played a key role despite missing a scoring opportunity. Guirassy has netted three goals in this season’s UCL, aiming to regain his last season’s form of 13 goals.
Inter Milan Team News
Nicolo Barella will not participate due to muscle fatigue and did not make the trip to Germany. Veteran midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is also out with a calf injury, having missed Inter’s last four games. Denzel Dumfries is still sidelined.
Coach Cristian Chivu stated the decision to rest Barella was made to protect him during this critical part of the season. Inter’s midfield will likely include Petar Sucic, Piotr Zielinski, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with possible additions like Davide Frattesi and Andy Diouf.
Captain Lautaro Martinez is ready to play, with 12 goals in Serie A and four in the Champions League this season, leading Inter’s attack alongside Marcus Thuram. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer will start in goal.
Form
Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund recently secured a 3-0 win against Union Berlin. Emre Can opened the scoring with a penalty early in the match, followed by Nico Schlotterbeck’s header and a goal from Maximilian Beier to seal the victory.
This was Dortmund’s third successive league win, keeping them within eight points of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. However, they faced a setback in the Champions League, losing 2-0 to Tottenham last week and currently sit in 16th place with 11 points from seven matches.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan started strong in the Champions League with four wins but has faced challenges lately. They lost 3-1 at home to Arsenal, with Gabriel Jesus scoring twice early in the match. This was preceded by defeats against Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.
Predicted Lineups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Anton, Can, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Bensebaini; Adeyemi, Brandt; Guirassy.
Inter Milan: Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, Bastoni; Henrique, Zielinski, Sucic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez.
How to Watch Borussia Dortmund vs Inter Milan?
Viewers in the UK can watch the match live on discovery+.
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