(Football news) Atletico blasted through the group stage to return to the knockout stages, while Inter, the runners-up from the previous season, is soaring at the top of Serie A.
Inter can consider themselves at the top of their game heading into their Champions League comeback, having won eight straight games to open 2024. In the competition, Inter has shown themselves to be among Europe’s best clubs over the previous two seasons.
In their last 13 games in the UEFA Champions League, the Nerazzurri have only lost once, and that loss came against Manchester City in the 2023 final. They have also kept eight clear sheets in that time.
Since finishing second in Group D, just behind Real Sociedad, Simone Inzaghi’s side have suffered only one significant setback – dramatically losing in extra time to Bologna in the Coppa Italia – and the New Year has seen them reach new heights.
Inter swept to a third successive Supercoppa Italiana by beating both Lazio and Napoli, before victory in the Derby d’Italia helped keep title challengers Juventus in the rearview mirror; scoring four times in their last two outings then capitalised on Juve’s faltering form.
Nine points clear atop Serie A following Friday’s 4-0 defeat of rock-bottom Salernitana – which saw captain and top scorer Lautaro Martinez add further to his impressive goal tally – the Milan giants are also among the favourites to reach June’s Champions League finale at Wembley.
However, their first knockout meeting with a Spanish side since the 2010 semi-finals – when Jose Mourinho’s men eliminated Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona en route to an unforgettable treble triumph – comes against opponents that always pose a threat, partly thanks to the wily coaching of an ex-Inter midfielder.
Atletico Madrid is looking for its sixth victory at San Siro, where they haven’t yet faced Inter, after winning five of their previous six continental championship knockout matches against Italian teams under Diego Simeone.
The sides’ sole competitive match took place in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup, which Los Colchoneros won courtesy of goals from Sergio Aguero and the late Jose Antonio Reyes. However, another titanic match is about to take place.
Atletico dominated Group E in the fall, and their 17 Champions League goals this season are already a record for the team, even though they lag behind city rivals Real Madrid in La Liga, where they are currently in fourth position.
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