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Manchester City vs Inter Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Manchester City will look to win their first-ever UEFA Champions League title this Saturday when they face Inter Milan at the Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadium in Istanbul.

The Cityzens are facing Inter for the first time in a competitive game, and both sides are trying to back up winning their domestic cups with a UCL trophy.

City has already won two titles, beating fierce rivals Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley to lift the FA Cup while also pipping Arsenal to the Premier League title. So they remain on course to become the second Premier League team after Manchester United to win a historic treble.

Even more pressing for them is the need to finally win the Champions League, a trophy that has eluded Pep Guardiola since his move to the Etihad Stadium. The former Barcelona coach has been successful domestically but has suffered heartbreaks in this competition. His most recent outing at this tournament stage came two years ago when Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea side beat him.

He knows how important Winning this trophy is and will be desperate to finally land his third UCL title, having won it with Barcelona.

His side’s form ahead of this game makes them favourites to win, as they have lost just one of the games they have played since early February (W21, D5).

Meanwhile, Inter Milan are not pushovers, with the San Siro side in a run of eleven wins from their last 12 games in all competitions (L1). That run includes a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia final.

So they come into this tie looking for their second cup win of the season. They are also looking to win the Champions League title for the fourth time in their illustrious history, having most recently won it in 2010.

Moreover, Simone Inzaghi’s side have been impressive in this competition, having won away from home against Benfica and AC Milan. They have only lost one UCL game this term on foreign soil (W2, D2).

But they have lost three of their last five fixtures against English opponents (W2), which is slightly concerning. However, they can count on their defence to keep City’s rampant attackers at bay, keeping five clean sheets across their last six UCL matches (W4, D2).

Meanwhile, the last three UCL finals were decided by a single goal between the 40th and 60th minute, so we might see a low-scoring game of under 2.5 goals.

Manchester City vs Real Madrid: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Manchester City and Real Madrid will renew their UEFA Champions League rivalry this Wednesday when both sides meet at the Etihad for the second leg of their semi-final tie.

The Cityzens went to Madrid in the first leg and snatched a decent draw, with a thunderbolt from Kevin De Bruyne cancelling Vinicius Junior’s equally great strike.

So this tie is finely poised ahead of this second leg at the Etihad, which City will feel confident of winning, given their recent record at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s side have won their last 14 games at home in all competitions. Added to that is an unbeaten UCL run at the Etihad Stadium that stretches back to September 2018 (W22, D2).

Overall they are unbeaten in 22 competitive games (W18, D4), with a 3-0 win over Everton the most recent in that sequence. That win kept their match towards the Premier League title alive, as they require just one more win to secure it.

However, it is this competition that they crave the most, and Guardiola will be desperate to do all it takes here to overcome Madrid and book a place in Istanbul, where they will face either AC Milan or Inter Milan.

But Madrid are no easy opponent and will come into this tie in a confident mood after resting many of their players at the weekend.

Los Blancos are looking to book a place in their final for the second year in a row, while manager Carlo Ancelotti is aiming for five consecutive UCL wins over British opposition on foreign soil.

However, that run only started after they lost 4-3 here last season, so the Italian knows how difficult it is to play City away with Madrid winless in four away trips to the Etihad (D2, L2). Click here to get accurate soccer predictions.

Inter Milan vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

The Champions League return this Tuesday with Inter Milan and AC Milan facing each other for the second time in a week when they meet at San Siro in the second leg of their UCL semi-final tie.

Inter come into this tie in serious form, having won each of their last seven games in all competitions. The most recent in that sequence was a 4-2 win over Sassuolo at the weekend.

That result kept them on course to finish in the Serie A top four, as they ended the round sitting in third position, five points ahead of fifth-placed AC Milan.

They will not turn their attention to the Champions League, where they will look to secure their first European final since 2010. Inter put one foot in the final thanks to a 2-0 win in the first leg of this tie, with goals from Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan giving Simone Inzaghi’s men a commanding first-leg lead.

They only need to secure a place in Istanbul to avoid defeat here. They will fancy their chances here because they have kept four clean sheets from their five 2022/23 UCL knockout games.

Meanwhile, having been humbled in the first leg of this semi-final, things went from bad to worse for AC Milan, as they were humiliated by relegation-battling Spezia in the league.

That result leaves their hopes of UCL qualification for next season through a top-four finish in Serie A in tatters. So their best chance to play in the UCL is to win this tournament in this campaign.

Stefano Pioli will be hoping his side can run this around at San Siro, where they enjoyed good form in Europe this season, despite a 2-0 loss in the first leg.

However, the Rosenneri haven’t won a UCL knockout game when they are the designated away side since 2006/07 (D4, L6). And their record of just one win in their last eight away games (D4, L3) also complicates their chances here.

Meanwhile, AC Milan’s last eight games in all competitions have produced exactly two total goals. So, we can expect an under 2.5 goals game here.

AC Milan vs Inter Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

AC Milan and Inter Milan will renew their eternal rivalry Wednesday when both sides meet at San Siro in the UEFA Champions League semifinals.

Both sides are facing each other in Europe for the first time since 2005, when Milan progressed after the second leg was abandoned when Inter fans launched flares onto the playing area.

But we can expect things to be better this time, with the two clubs desperate for European success while still battling for a place in the top four in the domestic league.

Milan booked their place in this tournament’s round by beating the more fancied Napoli side 2-1 on aggregate. Rafael Laoa’s brilliant run in the second leg was the talk of the round and ensured Milan’s dream of their first UCL final place since 2007 remains intact.

They have proven that they have a knack for playing big Italian teams, with a 2-0 win over second-placed Lazio at the weekend further confirming that theory.

The win over Maurizio Sarri’s side also made it nine games unbeaten for Stefano Pioli’s side (W4, D5), who will be confident of winning here, having that they have not tasted defeat as a home team since February.

But their rivals Inter Milan have a strong record in San Siro even though they enter this game as the away side. Simone Inzaghi’s side also have the better recent head-to-head record in games between both Milan teams (W3, D1, L1).

Although they seemingly have the advantage based on recent overall H2H meetings, they haven’t won as the ‘away side’ at the San Siro since February 2021 (D2, L1).

However, having beaten Portuguese entertainers 5-3 on aggregate to qualify for this round, the Nerazzurri will fancy their chances here.

They have won their last five matches, four of them without conceding. At the same time, they’re also unbeaten in seven competitive away games (W4, D3).

This game could go either way, given its significance and the form of both sides.

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Bayern Munich vs Manchester City: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Manchester City will look to seal their place in the Bayern Munich when they welcome Manchester City to Allianz Arena this Tuesday for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie.

Bayern was beaten 3-0 in the first leg at the Etihad, with goals from Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland condemning the Bavarians to their first defeat in the Champions League this season.

While the game was overshadowed by the altercation between Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane at full time that saw the ex-Liverpool man draw blood from the German winger, Thomas Tuchel will hope that he can channel the inner anger in his players to winning against City at the Allianz Arena.

The ex-Chelsea coach has maintained his side “won’t give up” ahead of this crucial game. However, a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim at the weekend was far from the ideal preparation for this game. But Bayern’s record at home in the UCL will give them full confidence as they look to become just the fifth side to progress from a UCL knockout tie after losing the first leg by a 3+ goal margin.

But the fact that Bayern have scored more than once in just one of their last six games does not inspire much confidence, while Tuchel has lost each of his last three personal meetings with City boss Pep Guardiola without his side scoring a single goal.

The City manager will look to extend that personal record against Tuchel and to record his 100th Champions League win. Only Carlo Ancelotti and Sir Alex Ferguson reached that landmark before the Spaniard, so it will be a great honour to achieve that feat at the Allianz Arena, where he had a successful stint after leaving Barcelona.

His side comes into this tie on the back of a ten-match winning run in all competitions, last tasting defeat back in early February (W12, D2 since). So they will travel to Munich with good spirits and confidence that they will win her,e, given that they have suffered just one defeat from their 20 meetings with German opposition in the UCL (W16, D3).

But it likely won’t be a walk in the park for the Cityzns, as they have won just one of their last six European road trips (D4, L1). Meanwhile, the fact that Bayern Munich hasn’t lost consecutive UCL matches over 90 minutes since 2014 makes the tie even more tricky.

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Inter Milan vs Benfica: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Inter Milan will look to seal their progression into the semi-final round of the UEFA Champions League when they welcome Portuguese side Benfica to San Siro on Wednesday.

The hosts put one foot into the tournament’s next round when they secured a 2-0 win in the first leg in Lisbon.

However, a shock 1-0 home defeat to Monza at the weekend brought them back down to earth and proved Inter are penetrable at the San Siro. So they must be on their guard to warn off Benfica’s advances and secure a first UCL semi-final spot since 2010.

Considering they have won 17 of the 18 UEFA competition ties in which they have triumphed away from home in the first leg, they look well placed to book a last-four date. So Simone Inzaghi is poised to become the first home-grown Italian coach to lead Inter to the semi-finals of Europe’s premier competition since Eugenio Bersellini in 1980/81.

Like their hosts, Benfica makes the trip to Italy on the back of a shock 1-0 defeat of their own, going down against Chaves in Primeira Liga action. The result extended their losing run across all competitions to three matches, with just one goal scored in that period.

If their recent form doesn’t offer much hope for Benfica, then the fact they have already won on Italian soil this season perhaps does, as they beat Juventus 2-1 in group-stage action. However, overall, they have a poor record against Italian teams, with that win against Juventus being one of just four on Italian soil (D1, L11).

They do appear well placed to improve upon that record here, though, as they come into this tie on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run in UCL away games (W6, D3).

Meanwhile, none of Inter’s last six UCL home games have seen both teams score. So we can expect another low-scoring game of under 2.5 goals.

Napoli vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Napoli and AC Milan will continue their recent rivalry this Tuesday when they meet at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League tie.

The hosts are looking to be third-time lucky against AC Milian, having lost their last two head-to-head meetings with the San Siro side. That run includes a 1-0 loss in the first leg of this tie, with an early goal from Brahima Diaz the difference that night.

Luciano Spaletti’s side has followed that loss with a disappointing goalless draw with Hellas Verona at the weekend, meaning that they have failed to score in their last two games. The return of star hitman Victor Osimhen will be a big relief for the hosts, who have enjoyed a solid return of goals when the Nigerian is in the team.

Also, returning to their home will boost their confidence as the hosts boast a proud home record in this competition. They have avoided defeat in their last 12 UCL games at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium (W9, D3). Notably, all four matches in this year’s edition of the competition delivered victories.

Meanwhile, AC Milan could now become the first team to beat Napoli three times in one season since Lazio back in 1994/95, having enjoyed back-to-back success in their last two meetings.

However, the visitors could not take their form against Napoli to the league at the weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw with Bologna. Even though they remain in fourth position, that result complicated their quest for the Serie A top four.

But Stefano Piolli’s side has been different gravy in the UCL this season, especially at the back. The Rossoneri have shut out their opponents in their last five UCL matches – their best consecutive run of clean sheets since 2004/05 when they went to the competition’s final.

So, we can predict another low-scoring game unless Napoli succeeds in turning on the screw.

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Chelsea vs Real Madrid: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Real Madrid will look to seal their place in the semi-final round of the UEFA Champions League when they travel to London on Tuesday to face a struggling Chelsea side.

The Blues are presently out of sorts in all competitions, having yet to win a game since a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in early March. A disappointing 2-1 loss to Brighton last weekend was the latest in poor results.

The loss extended their winless run to six games in all competitions (D2, L4), further complicating their chances of finishing in the top six this season. Confidence is undoubtedly low in Frank Lampard’s team’s camp, and they will face another moment of truth when Madrid comes into town.

Having scored just once in their last five games, it remains to be seen how they can overturn this two-goal deficit against a Real Madrid side that takes things more personally when they meet English teams in this competition.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men will travel to Stamford Bridge as the favourites to win, given that they have netted in each of their last seven UCL fixtures on foreign soil (W4, D1, L2).

They have won three of their last four games against English teams (L1), while the record of four clean sheets from their last five games also makes them a formidable opponent on their day.

However, they will not travel to London with any hint of complacent, given that Chelsea won their previous round against Dortmund despite a first-leg deficit.

But Madrid have won the last four European ties in which they won the first leg 2-0 at home. So they will be expected to easily go through with a goal or two.

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Real Madrid vs Chelsea: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Chelsea will travel to Santiago Bernabeu this Wednesday to face Champions League holders Real Madrid in the first leg of their 2022/23 UCL quarter-finals.

Both sides have been meeting regularly recently, with this being their third straight meeting in this competition, having faced themselves on their way to the title win in 2021 (Chelsea) and 2022 (Real Madrid).

But for this edition, Carlo Ancelottin’s men are the favourites as they come into this tie in better shape than their rivals. This is despite a shocking 3-2 loss to Villarreal last weekend.

But they could be forgiven for taking their eyes off that game, given that they were already 12 points behind Barcelona in the title race before the weekend. So this competition has become a must-win for them this season, and they will undoubtedly be throwing everything at winning Europe’s premier club competition to salvage their faltering season.

Considering that they have won their last four meetings with English clubs, including last year’s final against Liverpool, Madrid certainly shouldn’t fear Chelsea’s arrival.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Premier League woes continued at the weekend, despite the arrival of former boss and player Frank Lampard. The Chelsea legend could not get them back to winning ways against Wolves, who took home maximum points (1-0 win).

The Blues’ 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund to get this far was the high point of Graham Potter’s brief reign, so they can be expected to raise their game again as they search for a third UCL title.

Having triumphed 3-2 after extra time here last season despite ultimately losing 5-4 on aggregate, the Blues haven’t lost an away game on Spanish soil since March 2018 (W2, D2), which includes two visits to the Spanish capital to take on Real Madrid (W1, D1).

However, they were beaten 1-0 by Dortmund in the first leg of their last-16 match in Germany, so they can take nothing for granted, especially as they’ve won just one of their last 13 competitive away games (D3, L9).

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AC Milan vs Napoli: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

AC Milan will square up with Serie A rivals Napoli this Wednesday in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final round.

Both sides are part of the six Italian teams still in European club competitions this season, with Inter Milan (UCL), Juventus and AS Roma (both Europa League) and Fiorentina (Conference League) the other four teams. Yet this fixture is the biggest of the clashes involving Italian teams.

Milan is at this stage of the UCL for the first time in eleven years and will be eager to grab an all-important first-leg lead. However, with just one win in nine competitive home games (D3, L5) against Serie A’s runaway leaders Napoli, they look set for a stern test.

Despite that, Milan’s confidence will have been boosted by their remarkable 4-0 win away to Napoli earlier this month, even though they followed that up with a disappointing goalless home draw with Empoli on Saturday.

But having recorded another clean sheet over the weekend, they will fancy their chances of recording another shutout here. Clean sheets have been a theme of Milan’s UCL journey as they chase a fifth-straight clean sheet in the competition for the first time since the 2004/05 edition.

Meanwhile, Napoli bounced back from their heavy loss to Milan by defeating Lecce 2-1 at the weekend. That result kept their dream of finally winning the Scudetto alive ahead of this defining week.

They have never reached this stage of the competition but made light work of Eintracht Frankfurt in the last round to qualify for this stage. So with the league title all but in the bag, given their 18-point lead in Serie A, the Blues can focus entirely on this tie which will be their first-ever UCL quarter-final.

The away form of Luciano Spalletti’s side has been imposing of late, something highlighted by the fact they’ve won eight straight games on the road, scoring at least twice in each. Their double here earlier in the season was notably the first time they’d scored 2+ times in seven away H2Hs against the Rossoneri. Still, as the UCL’s top-scoring team in this edition with 25 goals scored, a European tie could bring about another glut of goals on Milan turf.

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