Champions League Preview: Inter Milan v Bayern Munich – Italian Giants Look to Finish the Job in Milan

Inter Milan and Bayern Munich will meet in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the first time ever, with the second leg set to take place at the iconic San Siro on Wednesday night.

In the first leg, Inter stunned the German champions with a 2-1 win at the Allianz Arena, putting themselves in a strong position to reach the semi-finals.

Match Info

• Location: San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy

• Date: Wednesday, 16 April 2025

• Time: 8:00 p.m. local time

Head-to-Head History

The two clubs have met on the European stage before – including in the 2010 Champions League final, where Inter triumphed 2-0 to win their third European title and complete a famous treble.
Overall, Bayern have a slight edge with five wins, one draw, and three defeats in previous meetings.

Both clubs are currently top of their domestic leagues:

• Bayern Munich lead the Bundesliga by six points over Bayer Leverkusen.

• Inter Milan also hold a six-point lead over Napoli in Serie A.

Inter finished fourth in their group but advanced past Feyenoord in the Round of 16. Bayern topped their group and will be aiming to turn things around after last week’s home defeat.

Team News & Tactics

Bayern Munich are dealing with several key injuries:

• Out: Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano, Manuel Neuer, Hiroki Itō

• Available again: Aleksandar Pavlović, Kingsley Coman

Thomas Müller is expected to start in the number 10 role again after impressing in recent games, and Serge Gnabry is set to come in for Leroy Sané after his standout display in Bayern’s comeback win over Dortmund.

Manager Vincent Kompany is likely to stick with the lineup that beat Augsburg, as Bayern hope to rediscover their rhythm in Europe.

Inter Milan, managed by Simone Inzaghi, will likely stick with their reliable 3-5-2 formation.

• Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram are expected to start up front – both in excellent form.

• In midfield and defence, Inter will look to stay compact and disciplined to hold off Bayern’s attacking threats.

What to Expect

Inter have the upper hand with a 2-1 lead and home support at the San Siro, but Bayern’s history and experience in the Champions League mean they can never be written off. The German side must be sharp in both attack and defence if they’re to overturn the deficit and avoid another quarter-final exit.

Expect an intense, high-quality battle between two of Europe’s most successful clubs – with a place in the semi-finals on the line.

Will Inter finish the job? Or will Bayern mount another famous comeback?