Arsenal are preparing for another trek into the Champions League as they make the trip to Inter Milan for another huge game in the hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds.
The Gunners and the Nerazzurri have identical records in the competition so far, registering two wins and one draw from their opening three games.
With a top-eight finish guaranteeing a place in the round of 16, Mikel Arteta will be looking for his team to finish in those spots to avoid any extra fixture congestion.
Their Champions League opponents will be looking to do that same and Simone Inzaghi’s team are no walkovers either, having impressed at the top of European football for the past few years.
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Pep Guardiola highlights danger of Nicolo Barella and Federico Dimarco
Pep Guardiola knows all about the threat of Inter Milan, having faced them a few times in the Champions League in recent seasons.
The Manchester City boss beat the Italian side in the final of the competition back in the 2022/23 season, with a tight 1-0 match playing out.
Acquaintances were reunited in September this year as the two clubs drew each other in the league phase for the season.
A tense 0-0 played out at the Etihad Stadium, which may prove to be a warning for the challenge that Arsenal face.
Speaking before the game, Guardiola told the official club website: “Historical team and incredible mentality.
“They are built to win every single game and to win every competition. Last year they won a lot and that means in the mindset of the players they can do it, which is similar to us.
“They have good high pressing and go man to man so they are similar to Brentford [in that regard] and after they defend with typical Italian mentality that they have to suffer. They are also strong in set pieces. Incredible qualities.
“Good guys from the second line, especially [Nicolo] Barella. I don’t know if he will be fit tomorrow but every time from [Federico] Dimarco crosses arrive with four or five players in the box.
“You cannot reach the Champions League final and win Serie A with 90 per cent of the same players if you don’t have something special.”
It shows the quality that Inter Milan have, which Arsenal will have to be especially careful of in their encounter.
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Inter Milan tactics and style of play before Arsenal
Arsenal will have a huge challenge on their hands to try and overcome Inter Milan, especially on their travels.
Inzaghi has the side setup in a way that makes them tough to break down but with enough attacking threat going forward.
A 3-5-2 is deployed in every match, which includes three centre-backs who are more than capable of screening the backline, two flying wing-backs and a midfield three able to feature in all phases of play.
A deadly front two completes the lineup, which has shown exactly why they have won so much in recent years.
Pictured above is the starting team from Inter’s 1-0 win over Venezia in Serie A over the weekend – with a similar side likely to feature against Arsenal.
With the struggles that Arteta has faced in recent weeks, it will be important to find the right balance between attack and defence against an opposition that will be stubborn.
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