Champions League, Inter's situation in Group B

MILAN - The 3-2 win against Gladbach at the Borussia-Park has put the cat amongst the pigeons in Group B of the UEFA Champions League. The group is certainly now more equal and the outcome more difficult to predict. The Nerazzurri’s success and Shakhtar beating Real Madrid has, in fact, confirmed that every position in the group could change hands by the time the final matchday (9 December) is over.

GROUP B, RESULTS AND SCHEDULE

Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 Real Madrid [Dentinho, Manor Solomon] Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-3 Inter [Darmian, Pléa, Lukaku, Lukaku, Pléa]

Wednesday 9 December, 21:00 CET Inter vs. Shakhtar Donetsk Real Madrid vs. Borussia Monchengladbach

GROUP B, STANDINGS

MPWDLGFGAGDPtsGladbach5221167+98Shakhtar5212512-77Real Madrid521299+07Inter512279-25

All four teams in the group have the chance to qualify for the Round of 16, and all of them risk finishing bottom.

In order for the Nerazzurri to qualify for the next round, they need to beat Shakhtar at San Siro, and they need the game between Real and the Foals not to end in a draw.

A draw in both fixtures would see the German and Ukrainian sides progress.

INTER, WIN IN GERMANY: THE LAST TIME WAS ALSO 3-2

Inter have won in Germany for the first time (excluding the Finals of the Europa League, which was played on neutral ground) since 2011. In a Round of 16 tie in Munich, Inter beat Bayern 3-2, thanks to Goran Pandev’s winner. That win has now been succeeded by last night’s 3-2 win in Mönchengladbach.

DARMIAN’S FIRST GOAL AND THAT ALL-AZZURRI EFFORT

Matteo Darmian scored his first goal for Inter and his first in the Champions League. Darmian has scored before in European football, with Torino in the Europa League. The Italian player to have scored in the Champions League with Inter was Antonio Candreva, in October 2019 against Borussia Dortmund.

But the most “azzurro” stat is that the entire goal was built by Italian, with Gagliardini assisting Darmian to score. This is the first time an Italian has assisted another Italian to score for Inter in the Champions League since November 2008. That time, Mario Balotelli set up Marco Materazzi (for his last Inter goal) against Anorthosis Famagusta.

LUKAKU, BRACE AND AN UPWARDS TREND IN EUROPE

Romelu Lukaku scored his fourth brace of the season (his second against Gladbach), as he moves to eleven goals in 12 games (in terms of double-goal hauls, only Erling Haaland has more this season, 5). The Belgian is the first player in Inter history to have scored two goals in two separate games against the same team in the Champions League.

Only Robert Lewandowski (18) and Haaland (16) have scored more goals than Lukaku (12) in European competitions in the past two seasons.

LAUTARO HITS THE POST...

He hit the post away, he hit the post at home. Lautaro has not been lucky against the Foals. Inter have hit the woodwork six times in the Champions League this season, at least two more than any other team