UEFA Champions League Preview: Inter Milan host Werder Bremen
The Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan will be under the spotlight Wedneday as reigning Champions League titleholders Inter Milan will continue the defense of their crown against staunch German opposition
in the form of Werder Bremen as both sides will look to take control of group A.
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Inter Milan suffered their first loss of the season last weekend going down 1-0 in the Italian capital to Roma. That loss had to be seen as unexpected given Roma's poor start to the season. It also meant
that, instead of sitting alone at the top of the table, Inter currently sit tied with Lazio on 10 points, ahead only by virtue of goal difference. Inter have also got off to a rocky start in the Champions League managing only a 2-2 draw away at Dutch side
Twente Enschede.
Despite a huge win over the weekend against Hamburg, Werder Bremen have had a difficult start to the season in the German Bundesliga and have been hampered by injuries. Their victory against Hamburg was
particularly costly as they lost Clemens Fritz, Torsten Frings and Claudio Pizarro to injuries all of whom will be forced to miss the match against Inter Milan. Werder Bremen hosted English side Tottenham Hotspur on match day one and had to settle for a 2-2
draw.
Players to watch
Inter Milan reaped all the accolades from last year's Champions League tournament including awards for best goalie, best defender, best midfielder, and top striker. Those awards went to Julio Cesar, Maicon,
Wesley Sneijder, and Diego Milito respectively. Milito also took home the award as the tournament's best player. Expect to see all four of the aforementioned superstars in the lineup on Wednesday night. With Lucio in the centre of defence and Dejan Stankovic
patrolling the midfield Werder Bremen will have a difficult time trying to muster quality chances. Inter also have plenty of options coming off the bench in the likes of strikers Sulley Muntari and Goran Pandev.
For Werder Bremen, the list of players to watch is getting shorter and shorter as head coach Thomas Schaaf must be finding it difficult to field a full squad as his side has been frustrated with numerous
injuries. Striker Hugo Almeida will be asked to find the target while fullback Per Mertesacker, who only recently returned from injury, will be asked to keep Samuel Eto'o and Diego Milito in check.
What to expect
If Werder Bremen were fielding a fully fit squad one could expect them to challenge Inter for top spot in the group. Given the number of setbacks they've been faced with, going into Milan looking for full
points will be as futile as the charge of the Light Brigade. Schaaf's approach to the game will have to be to pack the middle of the field and rely on the counter attack while spending most of the time falling back on defence and concentrating on breaking
every attacking wave which Inter will throw at them.
Expect Bremen to play for a scoreless draw - they won't get it. Inter Milan will prove why they are reigning champions and win 2-0.
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