Borussia Dortmund host Serie A leaders Inter Milan in the final matchday of the UEFA Champions League group phase, with both sides battling for direct qualification to the knockout rounds.
Borussia Dortmund vs Inter Milan – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 28th January.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund team news
Borussia Dortmund will be without midfielder Marcel Sabitzer due to a persistent calf injury, while defender Niklas Sule also remains sidelined, as confirmed by head coach Niko Kovac ahead of the clash. Wing-back Daniel Svensson will miss the fixture through suspension after his red card against Tottenham, further depleting the squad depth.
Despite these absences, Kovac remains confident: “If you combine our obvious talent with physicality over 90 minutes, we can compete at the highest level”.
Furthermore, Aaron Anselmino is not available after his loan recall to parent club Chelsea.
Serhou Guirassy continues to lead the attacking line following a 3-0 victory over Union Berlin on Saturday, where the Guinean striker missed a gilt-edged chance but was central to Dortmund’s dominance. Guirassy has scored three goals in this season’s UCL, much less than last season’s 13 goals in the Champions League, but will still look to get back into that same form.
Inter Milan team news
Nicolo Barella has been ruled out due to muscle fatigue and did not travel with the squad to Germany. This compounds matters, as veteran midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu remains unavailable with a calf injury after missing Inter’s last four matches. Long-term absentee Denzel Dumfries is also absent.
Head coach Cristian Chivu confirmed that Barella “will not depart for Germany due to muscle fatigue” and that the decision was taken to protect the midfielder at this critical juncture of the season. This means Inter’s midfield will likely feature Petar Sucic, Piotr Zielinski, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, alongside potentially Davide Frattesi and Andy Diouf.
Captain Lautaro Martinez remains fully available, having scored 12 goals this season in Serie A and four in the champions league, and continues to lead Inter’s attacking line alongside Marcus Thuram. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer, the Switzerland international, will start in goal.
Form
Borussia Dortmund
Niko Kovac’s side concluded their weekend Bundesliga action with a 3-0 win against Union Berlin at the Alte Försterei.
The Black-Yellows broke the deadlock through Emre Can’s penalty after just 10 minutes, following a foul on Guirassy by goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow. Nico Schlotterbeck powered home a header from a corner in the 53rd minute before Maximilian Beier sealed the victory with a low strike in the 84th minute.
The win represents Dortmund’s third consecutive victory in the league and keeps them just eight points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. In the Champions League, however, Dortmund suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last week, which left them in 16th place with 11 points from seven matches.
Inter Milan
After winning their opening four Champions League matches, Inter Milan have endured a difficult spell in the competition.
The Nerazzurri suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Arsenal last Tuesday, with Gabriel Jesus scoring twice in the first half to dismantle Inter’s defensive structure. This followed disappointing defeats to Atletico Madrid and Liverpool in previous matchdays.
Predicted lineups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Anton, Can, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Bensebaini; Adeyemi, Brandt; Guirassy.
Inter Milan: Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, Bastoni; Henrique, Zielinski, Sucic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez.
How to watch Borussia Dortmund vs Inter Milan?
UK viewers can watch the Borussia Dortmund vs Inter Milan Champions League match live on discovery+.
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