Inter Milan vs Porto Odds, Pick: Inter Worth the Short Champions League Price
NurPhoto/Getty. Pictured: Inter Milan.
Inter Milan vs Porto Odds
Inter Milan Odds | -145 |
Porto Odds | +460 |
| Draw | +260 |
| Over/Under | 2.5 (+100 / -140) |
| Both Teams to Score (Yes/No) | (-105 / -135) |
| Odds via BetMGM. Get the latest soccer odds here. | |
Inter Milan and Porto resume their Champions League play as they open the first leg of their Round 16 matchup in what should be an old-school series.
The Nerazzurri came through one of the toughest Champions League groups, finishing second in Group C behind Bayern Munich with a 3-1-2 record – just enough to eliminate Barcelona.
In their native league of Serie A, they are currently leading the battle for second place with 47 points, but there is still a 15-point gap between them and first-place Napoli.
Porto finished their Champions League play winning their final four group games to finish atop their Championship League group. They were ahead of Club Brugge, Leverkusen and Athletico Madrid.
The Dragões' strong form in CL play is yet to fade. Their 1-0 victory against Rio Ave over the weekend extended their unbeaten run to 22 games in all competitions. Porto sit second in their domestic league in Portugal, four points behind Benfica.
Here is our breakdown of the Inter Milan vs. Porto odds, and my pick for the Champions League showdown on Wednesday.
Inter Milan Will Need Clinical Finishing
Inter Milan are unbeaten in their last five games and they have a well-rested defense for their home leg.
In their 3-1 victory over Udinese on Saturday, manager Simone Inzaghi rested regular starters Hakan Calhanoglu, Milan Skriniar and Andre Onana. That one goal from Udinese was the only goal they have conceded in their last four outings.
As strong as Inter are defensively, Romelo Lukuka seems to be rounding into form, which will give the offense a huge boost. He found the goal sheet during that Udinese match, ending his six-month spell without a league goal.
With chances hard to come by against a team like Porto, Inter will need to be clinical in front of the goal. If the Belgium striker is a true threat to score, then Inter Milan's two-man front in Inzaghi's possession lead 3-5-2 becomes that much more dangerous, with Lautaro Martínez having found the back of the net six times in his eight games since the new year.
Porto Struggling With Injuries
Porto are in the best form out of all the teams remaining in the Champions League. Their last loss came in October of last year, and they have a 22-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
The large majority of their phenomenal play this season is due to their veteran defense. They are conceding only 0.32 goals per match in all competitions, and during their 10-game winning streak, they have allowed just two goals.
However, manager Sérgio Conceição will be forced to play an entirely different lineup than the one that has driven so much success this year.
As many as eight players could be sidelined for Wednesday's clash. To the surprise of many, though, Conceição traveled Evanilson, Mateus Uribe, Otavio, Galeno and Fabio Cardoso, who are not yet fully fit.
He stated to the press that, "Some of the players I called up had muscular injuries, so every hour can make the difference for a recovery."
Whether the former Serie A midfielder is playing mind games or he truly believes his players can take the field Wednesday, the Porto manager will surely be ready to take on his past Lazio teammate Inzaghi.
Inter Milan vs Porto Pick
Both of these sides are very strong defensively and come into Wednesday's match in great form.
However, the Porto team on a 22-unbeaten streak is not the Porto team we will see on Wednesday. Plus, when you add in the fact that Inter Milan will be well-rested and could see a resurgence from Lukaku, I am backing the home side to handle their business in the first leg.
Inter's moneyline has shot up from the opening odds, but there is still decent value at -135.
Pick: Inter Milan ML (-135)
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