(Football news) Three weeks ago Inter Milan won the first leg of their match at San Siro by a narrow 1-0 thanks to a goal from Marko Arnautovic late in the second half. Atletico Madrid has at least improved upon their heartbreaking group-stage Champions League exit from the previous season by making it to the last 16, but they will have a difficult task in getting there after a lackluster first-leg performance against Inter. This will be their third trip to the quarterfinals in five years.
In fact, the Spanish team lacked a killer instinct in front of goal at San Siro, failing to register any of their seven shots on goal before letting Inter replacement Arnautovic score the game’s winning goal in the 79th minute. This was just three days after the team defeated Las Palmas 5-0 in La Liga.
Diego Simeone, who represented Inter during his playing days, has come under pressure in recent weeks as his Atleti side have only won two of their last nine matches across all competitions, failing to score on five occasions during this run, including last weekend’s 2-0 top-flight defeat at Cadiz.
Six points now separate Barcelona in third from fourth-placed Atletico, who are clinging on to their Champions League qualification spot as they sit just two points above fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao with 10 games remaining.
Atletico enter Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Inter having failed to progress from any of their last three knockout ties after losing the first leg, but they will welcome a return to the Wanda Metropolitano where they have lost just one of their last 32 games in all tournaments, while they have also won seven of their last nine home encounters with Italian opposition.
Inter, who have won 14 and drawn 1 of their last 15 games across all competitions, are in high spirits heading to the Spanish capital in stark contrast to Atletico. They recently defeated Bologna 1-0 on the road in Serie A, although Simone Inzaghi chose to rest several of his star players, including captain Lautaro Martinez.
Nevertheless, the Nerazzurri prevailed over their Champions League-chasing opponents thanks to a stooped header from Yann Aurel Bisseck toward the end of the first half.
Also read: Mason Mount returns in training for Manchester United
