The first leg of the 2024/25 Champions League Round of 16 between Feyenoord (Netherlands) and Inter Milan (Italy) will take place on March 5 at the Feyenoord Stadium in Rotterdam. Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Feyenoord
The Dutch side faced AC Milan in the previous round and emerged victorious over two legs. Feyenoord won 1-0 at home and then held on for a 1-1 draw away. As a result, the team has avoided defeat in 5 of their last 6 Champions League matches (3 wins, 2 draws). Additionally, the club is on a scoring streak of nine matches in this tournament. Notably, Feyenoord has conceded 23 goals in the current Champions League campaign, more than any other team in the Round of 16.
- The club has won 6 of their last 9 home matches in the Champions League in regulation time.
- At least three goals have been scored in 6 of their last 7 home games in this tournament.
- Both teams have scored in 7 of Feyenoord's last 9 Champions League matches in regulation time.
Predicted lineup for Feyenoord (4-3-3)
Timon Wellenreuther – Quilindschy Hartman, David Hancko, Thomas Beelen, Gijs Smal – Hugo Bueno, Antoni Milambo, Jakub Moder – Anis Hadj-Moussa, Julian Carranza, Igor Paixao.
Goalkeeper Justin Bijlow, defenders Gernot Trauner and Jordan Lotomba, midfielders Quinten Timber, Hwang In-beom, Bart Nieuwkoop, Ramiz Zerrouki, and Chris-Kevin N'Jie, as well as forward Ayase Ueda, will miss the match due to injuries. Defender Givairo Read is suspended. Notably, the club has appointed Robin van Persie as head coach ahead of this match.
Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi's side did not participate in the playoff matches, and in the last round of the group stage, Inter convincingly defeated AS Monaco 3-0 at home. This victory was the club's sixth in their last seven Champions League matches. Moreover, the Italians have won by a large margin for the second time in this tournament's current edition. As a result, the team finished fourth in the group standings and directly advanced to the Round of 16. It is worth noting that Inter has conceded only one goal in the current Champions League campaign, the best record among all participants.
- The club has not lost in regulation time in 6 of their last 8 away matches in the Champions League (3 wins, 3 draws).
- No more than two goals have been scored in 9 of their last 11 away games in this tournament.
- The Italians have conceded a maximum of one goal in regulation time in 8 of their last 10 away matches in the Champions League.
Predicted lineup for Inter Milan (3-5-2)
Josep Martinez – Benjamin Pavard, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni – Federico Dimarco, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Denzel Dumfries – Lautaro Martinez, Joaquin Correa.
First-choice goalkeeper Yann Sommer, defenders Matteo Darmian and Carlos Augusto, as well as midfielder Nicola Zalewski, will miss the match due to injuries.
Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan: Match Prediction
At home, the Dutch club tries to play boldly and spend as much time as possible in attack. Such play is often rewarded with goals: in their last 10 home matches in the Champions League, Feyenoord players have only failed to score once. However, the club's defense often makes costly mistakes: in 10 of their last 13 home matches in this tournament, the Dutch have conceded, including at least twice in seven instances.
Inter rarely struggles to break down opponents' defenses and even regularly scores away: in their last 9 away matches in the Champions League, the team has only failed to score twice. Additionally, I note the club's high scoring rate in the current Serie A season: Simone Inzaghi's side has scored 59 goals, matching the highest tally in the league.
I expect both teams to find the net in this encounter. My prediction: Both teams to score – yes
