Closing in on automatic qualification for the last 16, Inter Milan will resume their Champions League campaign on Wednesday, when they visit struggling Sparta Prague.
Inter's 13 points from six games puts them on track to avoid the playoffs, while Sparta's modest tally of four leaves them in the elimination places.
Match preview
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Edged out in a battle of German and Italian champions, Inter suffered their first Champions League defeat of the season just before the winter break, losing to a 90th-minute goal away to Bayer Leverkusen.
It was the first goal the Nerazzurri had conceded throughout the league phase, finally ending a run of five straight clean sheets, but they remain among the front-runners to secure a cherished top-eight berth.
With two games to play, the three-time European champions and 2023 runners-up can confirm qualification by beating Sparta Prague and then Monaco before the end of January.
This season, Simone Inzaghi's side have lost just three of 29 matches across all competitions - twice being beaten by city rivals AC Milan either side of their last-gasp loss in Leverkusen.
Since letting a two-goal lead slip against Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana final, Inter have bounced back by adding seven more points to their Serie A total, leaving them tucked three points behind leaders Napoli with one game in hand.
On Sunday, captain Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring in a 3-1 home win over Empoli, before freewheeling wing-back Denzel Dumfries found the net for a fourth time in five matches; top scorer Marcus Thuram then emerged from the bench to wrap up victory.
Also into the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, the Scudetto holders are unbeaten in 15 league games, while a recent 1-0 win at Venezia was their sixth consecutive away victory in Serie A without conceding - that streak set a new club record.
Furthermore, Inter are undefeated against Czech opponents in the Champions League to date, so they will head for Prague as huge favourites.
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Sparta have faced each Inter on four previous occasions in UEFA competition, winning once and losing all the others, but Wednesday's clash will be the first time the clubs have met in Europe's top tournament.
Last time out, the Czech champions suffered a 4-2 defeat to Feyenoord, having trailed by three on the half-hour mark at De Kuip, meaning they have now lost their last four league-phase fixtures while conceding 17 goals.
Despite making a bright start to their campaign - putting three past Red Bull Salzburg without reply, then drawing 1-1 in Stuttgart - Sparta now need to win their last two games and hope to sneak inside the top 24.
However, the statistics make for grim reading. Not only have they won just one of their last 20 Champions League matches outside of qualifying, but a proud 12-game unbeaten streak on home soil has been shattered this term: November's 2-1 reverse against Brest was followed by their heaviest defeat ever in the competition, a 6-0 drubbing by Atletico Madrid.
Having made a 15-game unbeaten start to the season, Sparta have since lost eight of their last 17 - keeping just one clean sheet in 10 - which leaves them facing an early exit from Europe and trailing far behind arch rivals Slavia Prague in the Czech Liga title race.
Since his squad's most recent competitive fixture - beating Jablonec just before the domestic winter break - coach Lars Friis has taken them to a training camp in Spain, where they won friendlies against Malmo and Bodo/Glimt.
The intensity now steps up a few notches, as after hosting the Serie A champions, Sparta then face an intimidating trip to Leverkusen on the final matchday - and Inter can testify to how tough a test that will be.
Team News
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While Inter are still missing Yann Bisseck, Hakan Calhanoglu and Joaquin Correa through injury, they recently welcomed back defensive duo Benjamin Pavard and Francesco Acerbi.
Influential midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan also appeared as a substitute on Sunday, having been sidelined for two games, but it remains to be seen whether he will displace Piotr Zielinski in midweek.
While Simone Inzaghi has rotated his strikers in recent matches, Lautaro Martinez is likely to start again, having rediscovered his form in front of goal. Last season's Capcannoniere now has 111 Serie A strikes, drawing level with compatriot Mauro Icardi as the club's second-highest foreign scorer.
Meanwhile, Sparta Prague's main threat could come from Albion Rrahmani - who scored against Feyenoord - and Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji. The latter has been directly involved in three goals from three Champions League starts this season.
Long-term absentees Imanol Garcia and Angelo Preciado are unavailable, while Lukas Haraslin is still struggling with a hamstring problem, but Elias Cobbaut might be ready to rejoin the hosts' squad.
Bolstering their options, Sparta have recently brought in Venezia midfielder Magnus Andersen and re-signed Jan Kuchta on loan from Midtjylland.
Sparta Prague possible starting lineup:
Jensen; Vitik, Panak, Zelezny; Wiesner, Laci, Kairinen, Rynes; Birmancevic, Olatunji, Rrahmani
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Zielinski, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram
We say: Sparta Prague 0-2 Inter Milan
Sparta Prague have spent 60% of their Champions League games trailing this season, while Inter have been behind for less than 1% of theirs so far.
That demonstrates the gulf between the two sides, so Italy's reigning champions should stroll to maximum points and potentially eliminate their hosts.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
