Football Italia
·22 de janeiro de 2025
Football Italia
·22 de janeiro de 2025
Inter can lock down direct access to the Champions League Round of 16, as Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram and Henrikh Mkhitaryan start away to Sparta Prague.
It kicks off at the Stadion Letná at 20.00 GMT.
The Nerazzurri have a creditable 13 points from six games, they would’ve already secured a spot in the top eight if not for the last-gasp 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.
That was the first and so far only goal conceded in the Champions League this season, having scored seven, but four of those were against Crvena Zvezda.
Inter need to be more prolific in Europe and Thuram returns to the starting XI after a muscular issue in the Supercoppa Italiana defeat to Milan, partnering Lautaro Martinez.
Mkhitaryan and Alessandro Bastoni are also back after they were rested for the 3-1 win over Empoli on Sunday, but Hakan Calhanoglu, Francesco Acerbi and Yann Bisseck are still out of action, so Kristjan Asllani continues to hold the midfield reins.
Sparta Praha’s Czech defender #41 Martin Vitik and Sparta Praha’s Danish goalkeeper #01 Peter Vindahl Jensen react at the end of the UEFA Europa league knockout round play-off second leg football match between AC Sparta Praha (Prague) and Galatasaray SK in Prague on February 22, 2024. (Photo by Michal Cizek / AFP) (Photo by MICHAL CIZEK/AFP via Getty Images)
Sparta Prague have just four points from six Champions League games, beating RB Salzburg 3-0 in the opener, then losing four on the bounce including 5-0 at Manchester City and 6-0 at home to Atletico Madrid.
Angelo Preciado is a long-term absentee with a meniscus injury, with players like Patrik Vydra and Magnus Kofod Andersen cup-tied.
Lukas Haraslin, Albion Rrahmani and Indrit Tuci are also not fully fit.
Sparta Prague: Vindahl; Vitik, Panak, Sörensen; Wiesner, L Sadilek, Kairinen, Rynes; Laci; Birmancevic, Olatunji
Inter: Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro Martinez
Ref: Hernandez (ESP)