Who: Inter Milan vs Arsenal
What: Matchday 7 (of 8), league phase, UEFA Champions League
Where: San Siro in Milan, Italy
When: Tuesday, January 20, at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.
Arsenal, now the only unbeaten team in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), travel to northern Italy to take on the might of Inter Milan on Tuesday after a 40-day break in the tournament schedule.
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Riding a perfect 18 points from six matches so far, the Gunners enter this Matchday 7 contest as the UCL frontrunners, but their English Premier League (EPL) form has been far from dominant in 2026, drawing with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest in their most recent domestic fixture on Saturday.
Inter, who co-led the league phase with Arsenal after four rounds, enter this penultimate group stage contest riding a two-match UCL losing streak, including a crushing 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool in their last match on December 9, dropping the Nerazzurri to sixth in the standings.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the high-stakes encounter, which might decide automatic qualification entry into the last 16.
Arsenal lead UCL and EPL, but it doesn’t feel like it
The Gunners lead next-best Bayern Munich in the Champions League by three points and front-run Manchester City in the Premier League by seven points, but they are playing far from their best in the new year.
Mikel Arteta’s side have sputtered out of the gate in 2026 with their last EPL victory an unconvincing 3-2 against Bournemouth on January 3, followed by two goalless draws: at home to Liverpool on January 8; and away to lowly Forest on January 17.
It is the first time since the 2012-13 season that Arsenal have recorded back-to-back 0-0 draws in the domestic league, with Arteta conceding that it was “difficult to generate momentum” during the most recent game.
“We came here to win the game, that’s clear, and we needed the opportunities that we had,” he said after the Nottingham setback.
“We haven’t managed that, so the word is disappointment.”
Arsenal remain well on course to end a 22-year wait to win the Premier League title, but they will need to quickly rediscover their offensive touch against a defensive juggernaut like Inter.
Inter hitting peak form
In contrast, Inter have recovered from a slow start to the Serie A season – where they lost two of their first three fixtures – to rapidly climb to the top of the ladder, three points clear of next-best AC Milan, and six points ahead of reigning champions Napoli.
The Nerazzurri are unbeaten in their last 11 domestic league fixtures. They were last defeated in Serie A way back on November 23, a 1-0 home loss in the derby match against Milan.
Will Arsenal qualify for the round of 16 if they beat Inter?
Yes. An Arsenal victory, or even a draw, in Tuesday’s penultimate League phase match against Inter would guarantee the North London outfit finish in the top eight clubs that automatically qualify for the last 16 of the tournament, thereby skipping the two-legged knockout playoff involving those placing ninth to 24th.
When did Inter and Liverpool last win the Champions League?
Arsenal have never won the UEFA Champions League title. They came closest in the 2005-06 season, losing the final to Barcelona 2-1.
Inter last won in 2010, overcoming Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final to complete the treble, a feat never achieved before by any team from either Italy or Germany.
What happened the last time Inter played Arsenal?
Inter defeated Arsenal 1-0 at the San Siro in a Matchday 4, league phase fixture on November 6, 2024.
Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu scored what turned out to be the match-winner from the penalty spot just before half time.
The two storied clubs have played three times in Champions League history, with Inter holding a 2-1 edge over the Gunners.
Inter Milan’s team news
In anticipation of Tuesday’s blockbuster clash against Arsenal, Inter coach Cristian Chivu rested stars Alessandro Bastoni and Marcus Thuram in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Udinese.
Thuram will re-enter the starting XI at the expense of Pio Esposito and will lead the line with regular strike partner Lautaro Martinez in Chivu’s well-tested 3-5-2 formation.
The Nerazzurri will likely be without key contributors Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries, both of whom are recovering from leg injuries and are close to a return to match action.
With a top-eight automatic qualification spot into the UCL round of 16 on the line, Chivu is expected to field his strongest possible side against Arsenal.
Inter Milan’s predicted starting lineup (3-5-2):
Sommer (goalkeeper); Acerbi, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Arsenal’s team news
In a desperate effort to find some goal scoring, Arteta is tipped to start Bukayo Saka – who was brought on as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s draw with Forest – alongside Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus.
Arsenal will continue to be without the injured trio of Max Dowman, Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori, all of whom are not expected back until the first week of February, at the earliest.
Arsenal’s predicted starting lineup (4-3-3):
Raya (goalkeeper), Lewis-Skelly, Saliba, Magalhaes; Timber, Zubimendi, Rice; Odegaard; Madueke, Jesus, Saka
Last five matches
Inter Milan: W-W-D-W-W (most recent result last, Serie A matches only)
Arsenal: W-W-W-D-D (most recent result last, Premier League matches only)
