The final first legs in the Champions League last 16 take place on Wednesday. One of the standout ties will see Inter Milan bid to continue their strong run in the competition against FC Porto. The opening leg looks set to be crucial for the Italian giants, as they will likely need to take something to Portugal to defend in a couple of weeks, given Porto’s excellent home record in the Champions League.
The Inter odds will see them come into the UCL games today as the clear favorites. But, you can find our Inter vs FC Porto prediction for the huge match at the San Siro here.
Inter Milan vs. FC Porto Odds
The Champions League odds for this fixture show that Inter Milan is the short-priced favorite at -143. FC Porto is currently available at +425, while the draw is a tempting +260.
Goals may be in short supply for this opening leg, as over 2.5 match goals is a +110 chance. Under 2.5 goals is preferred at -138. Both teams to score is also considered unlikely in the odds, as it is available at +100.
Inter Milan vs. FC Porto Matchup Information
Inter Milan vs FC Porto
Location of the Game: San Siro, Milan, Italy
Date and Time: Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 3:00 PM ET
How To Watch: CBS Sports
Inter Milan vs. FC Porto Betting Preview
Inter Milan
Internazionale will have home advantage for the first leg against FC Porto after the Italian side finished second in the Champions League standings in the previous stage. There was no shame in that, as they finished as runner-up to Bayern Munich, who ended Group C with a 100% record.
Inter were excellent in the games that mattered in the group stage, as they managed to record a 1-0 win over Barcelona at the San Siro, before holding the La Liga leaders to an entertaining 3-3 draw at the Nou Camp.
The Italian giants come into this fixture after winning each of their previous two games in the competition at the San Siro. They haven’t won three on the bounce with home advantage since November 2010.
Inter’s recent form is also strong, as they have gone four without defeat across all competitions. They will also be at near-full strength for this showdown against FC Porto on Wednesday. Joaquin Correa is the only player currently on the sidelines, but the midfielder should be fit enough for the return game.
FC Porto
FC Porto will be aware of how important this opening leg is, as they will fancy their chances of progression should they gain a favorable result, as the second leg will take place in Portugal.
They were excellent in the opening stage of the competition, as they finished top of Group B after winning four of the six matches that they played.
However, defensively, they will need to be better. They allowed seven goals in the first six matches of the Champions League this term, which included four in a home fixture against Club Brugge on matchday two. Before making FC Porto picks, it’s worth considering their record against Italian opposition.
They have lost just once in seven previous meetings with teams from Serie A, with that loss coming against Juventus in the 2020-21 round of 16. However, they still progressed to the next stage on aggregate.
FC Porto’s recent record in the Champions League is extremely strong, as they have won their previous four matches. On Wednesday, they will be looking to equal their longest-ever winning run in the Champions League.
Before making an Inter vs FC Porto prediction, it’s important to consider that they will be without a number of key players. Otavio, Wenderson Galeno, and Andres Uribe are important forward players that they will be without for this trip.
Inter Milan vs. FC Porto Betting Picks
The injuries that the away side needs to contend with make this a slightly easier Inter vs FC Porto prediction to make.
The hosts should have more than enough quality in the final third to find a breakthrough against their Portuguese rivals on Wednesday, and we could see them landing a 2-0 win at the San Siro. However, it could be a different story in a few weeks when the sides meet for the second leg in Portugal.
- Pick 1: Inter Milan (-143)
- Pick 2: Inter Milan To Win 2-0 (+650)
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