Inter take on the visitors Monaco in the round 8 match of UEFA Champions League group stage. The match will be played on Wednesday, January 29th at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) (Milan).
Inter confidently and deservedly secured the Scudetto last season. This year, their performance hasn’t been as dominant, with their first stumble coming as early as the opening round. However, they gradually found their rhythm. While setbacks remain—most notably, losing the Super Cup final—Simone Inzaghi's men have firmly established themselves among the top three teams in Serie A. Inter have also performed reasonably well in the Champions League, kicking off with a goalless draw away at Manchester City, followed by four consecutive victories. It was only in December that they slipped, losing 0-1 to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. Following the winter break, they managed a narrow victory over Sparta Prague last week. Despite occasional struggles, Inter’s ability to respond to adversity and grind out results highlights their resilience this season.
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Monaco struggling to handle a packed schedule. The Monégasques are one of the only two clubs to break PSG’s dominance in French football. However, the 2022/2023 season was a disaster, as they failed to qualify for any European competition. To turn things around, Adi Hütter was brought in during the summer of 2023, and he succeeded in making Monaco the runners-up in Ligue 1. Maintaining that level has proven challenging, though, with growing competition and an increase in slip-ups. The team also lost the Super Cup to PSG. The added pressure of returning to the Champions League has taken its toll. Monaco started with a win over Barcelona, aided by the opposition’s self-inflicted troubles, including a red card. They followed that up with a draw in Zagreb against Dinamo before beating both Red Star Belgrade and Bologna. However, their form dipped as they conceded three goals in defeats to Benfica at home and Arsenal in London. After the break, they secured a vital three points against Aston Villa in January. Hütter’s side has shown flashes of quality but continues to battle inconsistency under the weight of a congested calendar.
The only official meetings between these sides occurred in the 1997 UEFA Cup. Both teams claimed home victories, but Inter’s superior goal tally saw them through. They also defeated Monaco in a 2009 friendly, while their most recent clash in 2022 ended in a high-scoring draw. With nothing at stake for either team, it’s unlikely they’ll go all out in this encounter. Expect a more relaxed approach, with limited urgency or risk-taking from both sides.
Prediction for the match: Total goals under 3.0.
