Inter vs Shakhtar Donetsk Predictions, Team News and Betting Tips

Inter have played twice in the Champions League and lost twice, and they sit 29th of 36 with no points. On Wednesday 21 October they host Shakhtar Donetsk at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, with kick-off at 8pm UK. Shakhtar arrive 11th with four points from two games, and both sides have scored and conceded in each of their league-stage matches so far.

Inter have conceded three goals a game in Europe, but they also average 9.5 shots on target. For a side with that much attacking weight and a defence that keeps leaking, this is a night when goals at both ends look likely.

How the teams arrive

Inter's European start has been rough. They lost 4-3 at home to Club Brugge last Tuesday, a game in which they scored three and still finished with nothing. Over the same stretch they have been strong in Serie A: Bologna 1-3 Inter on Saturday followed a 3-0 home win over Parma, and before that came a 2-2 draw at Roma and a 5-3 win over Udinese. Of their last ten games Inter have won six, drawn two and lost two.

Shakhtar have won five in a row in all competitions. They beat AEK Athens 3-1 in midweek on Champions League duty, then Kolos Kovalivka 2-1 in the Ukrainian Premier League on Saturday, after a 3-0 win at Veres the week before. In Europe they have conceded one goal a game and managed 3 shots on target a game, and they commit 15.5 fouls and collect 3.5 cards a game.

Predicted lineups

Inter possible starting lineup:
Josep Martínez; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Diouf, Barella, Çalhanoğlu, Zieliński, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito

Shakhtar Donetsk possible starting lineup:
Riznyk; Vinícius Tobias, Bondar, Matvienko, Pedro Henrique; Gomes, Ocheretko; Alisson, Pedrinho, Newerton; Kauã Elias

Players to watch

• Marcus Thuram has committed at least one foul in each of his last five games, and has made two or more in three of them. He is 1.18 at bet365 for a foul on Wednesday.
• Hakan Çalhanoğlu has had a shot on target in four of his last five and is 1.33 at bet365 to do it again.
• Alisson has had a shot in each of his last five games, with seven in one of them and an average of 3.2 a game. He is 1.20 at bet365 for one or more shots.
• Oleg Ocheretko has committed a foul in each of his last five, including four in one game, and is 1.20 at bet365 to commit one on Wednesday.
• Valeriy Bondar is 1.44 for a foul, and our model rates him the likeliest player in the match to commit one.

Match Leaders

Odds and Statz prediction

The bookmakers have Inter at 1.20 with bet365 to win, with the draw at 7.50 at Ladbrokes and Shakhtar at 13.00 at bet365. Both teams to score is 1.75 at Ladbrokes, and over 2.5 goals is 1.30 at bet365.

Inter are the clear pick at home. Both sides have scored and conceded in each of their league-stage games, which fits both teams to score and over 2.5 goals. The player markets are where we would look: Thuram and Çalhanoğlu have both been consistent, and Bondar and Ocheretko lead the Shakhtar foul picks.

We expect Inter to win.