Inter Milan vs. Arsenal UEFA Champions League Preview and Prediction
The UEFA Champions League returns this Tuesday after a month-long hiatus with one of the biggest matchups of the season, Inter Milan vs. Arsenal, kicking off matchday seven of league play.
Inter Milan leads Serie A after 21 games this season, and the former 2025 Champions League finalists look to place in the top five before moving on to the knockout phase. Arsenal, on the other hand, has the shortest odds to win the competition (+400), as they not only lead the Premier League but the Champions League standings as well, with little worry of qualifying for the Round of 16.
Inter Milan vs. Arsenal UCL Odds and Betting Trends
The two sides have only ever played each other three times in the Group Stage of the Champions League, with Inter winning twice, taking the most recent matchup 1-0 on November 6, 2024.
While Arsenal have the shortest odds to lift the trophy this year, this matchup will be manic, as they enter the San Siro on Tuesday afternoon with +155 odds on the three-way money line. Inter is a gritty squad to play against, allowing only four goals during the Champions League league phase, which marks them as +165 contenders for this fixture.
While these sides have never drawn, a matchup like this often turns into a talented defensive chess match, which could lead to a possible draw at +240.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan concluded Champions League matchday six before the break with a shocking 1-0 home loss to Liverpool. Outside of a massive penalty upset loss to Bologna in the Supercoppa Italiana semifinal, Inter carried on with six wins and one draw to take first place in Serie A. In the team’s last six straight Italian league matches, they’ve really locked down their defence, allowing just three goals.
Three of Inter’s top scorers, Lautaro Martínez, Marcus Thuram, and Ange-Yoan Bonny, combined for a total of 20 goals in Serie A this season, and are this fixture’s highest probable anytime goal scorers at +225, +235, and +260 odds respectively. Lautaro Martinez is always a potential threat with four goals in the Champions League so far, and can poach vital goals and crucial moments.
Arsenal
The Gunners’ last Champions League match ended successfully with a 3-0 blowout over Club Brugge to keep them atop the standings. Since then, Arsenal has returned to English football to go undefeated for 10 straight games with only two draws, winning important matchups like the EFL Cup quarterfinal against Crystal Palace in penalties, and the semifinal first leg 3-2 against Chelsea.
While Gabriel Martinelli (+340 to score this match) leads the team in UCL goals this season (five), the Gunners boast a handful of goal scorers in the EPL this year, including Viktor Gyokeres (five), Leandro Trossard (five), Declan Rice (four), Bukayo Saka (four), and Eberechi Eze (four), part of the reason they are so dangerous on the attack. Along with a tactically patient offence that thrives on set pieces, they’ve allowed just one goal in this year’s Champions League, showcasing one of the best defences in Europe.
UCL Prediction: Who Will Win Inter Milan vs. Arsenal?
There’s no question this fixture features two of the best defences in all of Europe, so the question of who scores first will be important. Inter tends to thrive at the San Siro, but Arsenal truly has a tough back line to crack and has only lost one of its last six away games.
The two teams are similar in play-style, with the main difference being that Inter thrives through Martinez’s finishing ability and support from the wingers, while Arsenal is deadly on set-piece plays.
Considering this one’s at the San Siro, and Arsenal struggled to score last game on Saturday against 17th-place Nottingham Forest, I think a 1-1 draw (+245) would be a sound result, especially with both teams’ uncrackable defences. The Under 2.5 at -120 is likely to stem from this, and if you really wanted to, taking the Inter +0.5 spread at -200 could be a good option.
