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It is not often that do-or-die situations prop up so early in either Real Madrid's or Inter Milan's UEFA Champions League campaigns. But caught in the 'group of death' and sharing a table with Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Monchengladbach, it is now clearer than ever before that only one of the two teams will go through to the knockout stages.
Inter Milan are at the bottom of Group B and are yet to taste victory after three group stage games. Real Madrid are currently at third with a win and a draw. Real Madrid's only win in three Champions League games came against Inter Milan earlier this month.
However, things have changed a little bit and with both teams desperate to get a win tonight, it's hard to predict what is going to unfold at the San Siro tonight. But we have a hunch that Real Madrid are going to struggle against the Nerrazurri tonight and let's take a look at five reasons why that could happen.
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#5 No Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos for Real Madrid
In what is a big blow to Real Madrid, two of their most experienced players Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos will not be available for the game against Inter Milan. Both the veterans are recovering from their respective injuries and have been left out of Real Madrid's squad that has traveled to Italy to take on Antonio Conte's team.
Benzema picked up a knock in Real Madrid's 4-1 loss away to Valencia and hasn't featured since. Sergio Ramos picked up a hamstring injury during Spain's 6-0 humbling of Germany during the international break. Real Madrid have lost seven of their last eight Champions League games without Sergio Ramos in the lineup.
Incidentally, Ramos and Benzema have been major sources of goals for Zinedine Zidane and in a team that has struggled in front of goal lately, this could prove to be a big blow at a very crucial time.
#4 Real Madrid's lack of goals is worrying
It's been a bit of a strange season on several counts so far but something we have seen across various leagues is a lot of goals. Strikers seem to be thriving in the post-Covid lockdown landscape but that's hardly the case at Real Madrid.
While Romelu Lukaku has scored nine goals from nine appearances across all competitions for Inter Milan, Real Madrid's top scorer has been Karim Benzema and he is missing tonight. The Frenchman has only scored four goals so far anyway.
Their second-highest scorer is Federico Valverde with three goals and the third-highest scorer is Sergio Ramos with two. So all three of Real Madrid's top goal-getters so far are sidelined for the game and they will need an unlikely scorer to step up and deliver the goods in foreign territory. Boy, that's tough or what?
#3 Romelu Lukaku's form could be telling for Inter Milan
When Real Madrid beat Inter Milan 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this month, Inter Milan were without Romelu Lukaku. Now he has returned to the fray and the Belgian international has been in scintillating form this season and he is the talk of the town as the Blancos pull up in Milan.
While Romelu Lukaku, who has been in freescoring form, will lead the attack for the Nerrazurri, it will be Mariano Diaz, who has scored just once this season, doing the same for Zizou's side.
In the absence of Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid will be fielding a makeshift back four and it is the kind of occasion that Lukaku revels in. He will look to bully the backline with his pace and strength. Lukaku scored twice and assisted two goals in Inter Milan's comeback win against Torino.
Prior to that, he had scored two goals for Belgium against Denmark in the UEFA Nations League. He has kicked into top form and Real Madrid will have a difficult time trying to contain him tonight.
#2 Real Madrid's poor away form
Real Madrid will pull up at the San Siro on the back of two disheartening results on the road. Los Blancos were belted out of the park by Valencia right before the international break. Javi Gracia's men beat Real Madrid by four goals to one and it was a disasterclass from the Real Madrid defence.
They subsequently drew 1-1 away to Villarreal. They drew away to Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League earlier and were beaten by Levante away from home as well.
Suffice to say, up against a much stronger opposition than they've conceded away defeats to this season, Real Madrid look set up to fail.
#1 Inter Milan seem to be kicking into form at the right time
When Cristian Ansaldi extended Torino's lead to 2-0 in the 62nd minute of their weekend game against Inter Milan, it looked like the game was set and done. Inter Milan registered their first shot on target in the 64th minute.
They turned it around however, and several players seem to have kicked into form and there are quite a few encouraging signs for Antonio Conte. The likes of Achraf Hakimi and Lukaku have proved that they can be gamechangers.
If they can just shore up the defence, then Inter Milan have the chance to get through to the knockout stages at the cost of Real Madrid.
