After their impressive draw against Manchester City, Inter will be aiming for their first win in the Champions League when they face Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday night. Despite leaving out key players, Inter performed excellently in their opening match. They missed a chance to take the lead but ultimately held City to a goalless draw. However, Inter’s start to the new season hasn’t been convincing, and they will need to work hard to retain their title as the best team in Italy.
On the other hand, Red Star Belgrade suffered a defeat at home against Benfica in their first league phase match. While they were once a dominant force in European competitions, Eastern European teams have struggled on the big stage in recent years. However, Red Star has had a strong start to their domestic season with an impressive 4-0 victory over bitter rivals Partizan.
Inter will likely be without midfielder Nicolo Barella due to a thigh injury. Piotr Zielinski is expected to start alongside Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Hakan Calhanoglu in midfield. The hosts have no major injury concerns apart from Canadian wing-back Tajon Buchanan.
Red Star Belgrade will be missing Ognjen Mimovic due to a foot injury and Vladimir Lucic with a knee issue. Former Milan midfielder Rade Krunic returns to his old stomping ground as part of the Red Star team.
Despite some potential challenges for Inter, they have won nine of their last 13 home Champions League matches and are considered superior compared to Red Star Belgrade. Lautaro Martinez’s return to scoring form adds further strength for Inter’s chances of victory. While Red Star may try to make things difficult for them, it is unlikely that anything other than an Inter win will occur.
