UCL Preview: Barcelona Vs Inter Milan Headlines Today’s Matches

Posted by Samson Kankan Latest Headlines, Sports News Wednesday, October 12th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Barcelona’s improvised defence held fast in a 1-0 victory against Celta Vigo over the weekend to keep them in first place in La Liga going into two games that might have a major impact on the season.

After losing 1-0 in the second leg at the San Siro last week, Barça’s match against second-place Inter Milan looms crucial if they are to avoid crashing out from group stage.

A victory for Inter would not only help them take first place in Group C, but it would also make them the first Italian team to defeat Barça twice in a single UCL season as they gear up for their 50th UEFA meeting against Spanish opposition! However, Inter would need to break a few more records along the way because they are yet to win three straight matches this year and have never won three consecutive UCL away games.

In other games, Diego Simeone’s men are expected to go all out for vengeance in order to avoid only a second group-stage UCL elimination across the past decade.

The mood in the Liverpool camp may be somber as after their 3-2 loss to Arsenal over the weekend they’re still winless on the road this season (D2, L3). The UCL is perhaps where Jürgen Klopp’s side can redeem themselves, as they currently occupy second place in Group A and will be bidding to win here in order to push on and top their group for a fourth successive campaign.

Liverpool’s hopes of progression may lie in the hands of their defence, while the Reds have scored in 19 of their last 20 UCL group stage matches, keeping clean sheets has been their biggest challenge lately. They’ve shut out their opponents on the day only three times in their last 14 matches, one of those being the 2-0 win over Rangers in the reverse fixture.

Tottenham found the spirit and the focus to bounce back from last week’s surprise 0-0 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt by winning away to in-form Brighton.

Sometimes these moments can turn a campaign on its head, and that’s precisely what Tottenham will be praying for here after mixed results have left their three remaining UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stage games as crucial ones – which is the last thing Conte needed after implying to the media that his squad lacked the depth to be successful in multiple competitions this season.

Following a record-breaking 6-1 win in Amsterdam last week, Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti highlighted that his side “must not lose focus”. They heeded those words and ran out 4-1 winners in Serie A over the weekend, extending Napoli’s competitive winning, run to eight straight games and keeping them on course for a first Scudetto since 1990! Ajax will have to hope for a spot in the Europa League.