MILAN – Following Lautaro Martinez’s brace and Lukaku’s goal against Slavia Prague, a big night awaits for Inter and all the Nerazzurri’s fans: at 21:00 CET on Tuesday 10 December, it’ll be time to play Barcelona at the Meazza.
Inter currently sit in second in Group F level with Borussia Dortmund (who fell to a 3-1 defeat against Barcelona on matchday five) on seven points. Therefore, everything’s on the line all in one night. To qualify, Inter must match the Germans’ result: Lucien Favre’s men are playing Slavia Prague at home in their final fixture of the group.
Barcelona, who have eleven points, have won their Champions League group for the 13th consecutive season. The Blaugrana have only lost one of their past 33 group stage games (1-3 against Man City in November 2016) and are unbeaten in 19 during this stage of the competition (13 wins, six draws). Only Real Madrid have gone on a longer undefeated run during the Champions League group stage (30 fixtures between 2012 and 2017).
Inter have never lost a home match against Spanish sides in the Champions League/European Cup (six wins, six draws, zero defeats). Inter have gone the longest number of matches undefeated at home (12) against Spanish teams compared to sides from any other country.
Barcelona have lost one of their past ten games against Inter in all competitions (five wins, four draws, one defeat), with this defeat coming at San Siro in April 2010 (1-3).
Luis Suarez scored twice in the fixture earlier on this season. Only against Roma (2015/16) and PSG (2014/15) has the Uruguayan netted three times against a single side in a single Champions League campaign.
Lautaro Martínez has found the net in each of his last four Champions League fixtures for Inter this season (five goals in total). No Inter player has ever scored in five consecutive European Cup/Champions League fixtures. Prior to the Argentine forward, the last Nerazzurri player to get on the scoresheet for four matches in a row had been Samuel Eto’o in 2010.
