Champions League: AS Monaco Need a Huge Night in San Siro

Inter Milan vs AS Monaco

AS Monaco are looking to qualify directly to the Champions League Round of 16 by securing a win on the final matchday of the 2024-25 campaign. It’ll be easier said than done because they’re going up against Inter Milan, one of the top teams in the competition, at San Siro on Wednesday. 

Adi Hutter’s men are 10th in the table with 13 points, level with eight-seeded Bayer Leverkusen, ninth-seeded Aston Villa, 11th-seeded Feyenoord, 12th-seeded Lille, and 13th-seeded Brest, with Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Celtic lurking. Even if they take care of business against the Nerazzurri, certain Champions League 2025 results must go their way to make it directly to the Round of 16.

Inter Milan are in a much better place than their visitors since they’re the fourth seed with 16 points. Simone Inzaghi’s men don’t want to be complacent even if they’re likely through to the Round of 16.

 

Talking Points

Sommer chasing Inter Milan history

Inter Milan are a Top 8 squad in the Champions League because of their impenetrable backline. They have only conceded one goal in their first seven matches, and they haven’t conceded in their first five home matches. 

Yann Sommer has been instrumental in keeping their defence in order. The Swiss goalie is closing in on Andre Onana’s Champions League club clean sheet record in a single season (eight in 2022-23), as he already kept six in the first seven matches. Inter Milan could also become the first team since Atletico Madrid in 2016 to keep six clean sheets in their first six home matches.

Simone Inzaghi will miss several players against AS Monaco. But, fortunately for them, their injuries didn’t hit their backline hard, as Francesco Acerbi is their only notable absentee there. Hakan Calhanoglu and Joaquin Correa are out due to their calf injuries, but they still have Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez to shoulder the offensive load.

Inzaghi rested Nicolo Barella and Federico Dimarco in Inter Milan’s 4-0 win over Lecce yesterday, and they could start against AS Monaco. The Nerazzurri will likely stick with the back three of Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni, and Matteo Darmian, with Benjamin Pavard and Yann Bisseck as off-the-bench options.

 

AS Monaco must do it by committee again

AS Monaco will be without some key players, so they must have all hands on deck against Inter Milan. Folarin Balogun, George Ilenikhena, and Denis Zakaria will likely miss out while Wilfried Singo is doubtful after sitting out against Rennes. Mika Biereth is also out for AS Monaco because he isn’t registered.

Because they won’t have their top attackers, AS Monaco may have to rely on goals from the back, and no club has seen a higher percentage of their goals scored by their defenders in the league phase (31-per cent), including winners from Thilo Kehrer in Bologna and Singo against Aston Villa.

Eliesse Ben Seghir, Breel Embolo, and Maghnes Akliouche will lead upfront for AS Monaco. The three have combined for 12 league goals and 10 assists this season.

 

History

Wednesday marks the fourth meeting between Inter Milan and AS Monaco across all competitions. These two teams last faced off in a club friendly in 2022, where the spoils were shared in a 2-2 draw.

Inter Milan have beaten AS Monaco in their last two home games in European competition, winning 1-0 in the 1963-64 European Cup Round of 16 and 3-1 in the 1996-97 UEFA Cup semi-finals. The Nerazzurri are also undefeated in their last 12 Champions League matches held at San Siro (W10, D2) – their longest unbeaten run on home soil in Europe since a 28-game streak between September 1963 and September 2002.

AS Monaco have only won one of their last 10 away matches in the Champions League (D4, L5). The lone win happened against Bologna (1-0) last November.

 

Betting Tip

The Champions League 2025 odds expect a straightforward result for the hosts. Inter Milan are 1.62 favourites to win, whereas AS Monaco are 4.62 underdogs, and a draw is pegged at 3.75 in the 1X2 market.

A win or a draw should do the trick for the Nerazzurri, and Simone Inzaghi’s men should outscore their visitors this Wednesday. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP bettors and football fans can also go for alternatives like Total Goal 2-3 at 2.04, Over 2.50 at 1.68, and Over 2.75 at 1.88. Meanwhile, a Correct Score of 2-2 – the result of their most recent meeting – is priced at 16.00.

   

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