The Champions League group stage will end this week. Although we know most of the teams going through to the round of 16, there is still some unknown around which teams will finish first or second in their group.
On Tuesday night, Inter will host Spain’s Real Sociedad at the San Siro, with the two sides battling for top spot in Group D.
🔚 FULL-TIME! Rounding off the perfect week. AUPA REAL!!! 💙#VillarrealRealSociedad | #WeareReal pic.twitter.com/0SKB8UZvm3— Real Sociedad 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 (@RealSociedadEN) December 9, 2023
🔚 FULL-TIME! Rounding off the perfect week. AUPA REAL!!! 💙#VillarrealRealSociedad | #WeareReal pic.twitter.com/0SKB8UZvm3
After last season’s awful group stage for Spanish clubs, La Liga will have four teams in the knockout stages.
Sociedad are unlikely to be one of the teams fans would have expected in the last 16. However, La Real have played well in Group D, collecting 11 points from five matches.
Inter have also taken 11 points from five matches in Group D. The only difference between these teams going into matchday No. 6 of the group stage is goal difference.
Sociedad’s +5 goal difference has them ahead of Inter Milan, who have a goal difference of +3.
These teams met on matchday No. 1 of the group stage at Anoeta Stadium. The game ended 1-1 with goals bookending the fixture.
La Real’s Brais Mendez scored in the fourth minute to give the home side an early lead, which they kept until the 87th minute.
Inter’s Lautaro Martinez scored near the death to give the Italians a share of the spoils.
The Nerazzurri were runners-up in last season’s Champions League final. It is easy to forget that Inter were the beaten finalists and for parts of that game had Manchester City on the ropes.
Real Sociedad are in fantastic form ahead of the match on Tuesday night in Milan. They went unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions, winning five of those fixtures.
Each of Inter’s last two matches ended in wins. Indeed, Sociedad conceded just once in their last four games.
Inter are leading Serie A currently and, like Real Sociedad, go into Tuesday night hitting on all cylinders.
The Nerazzurri have not lost a match since September when they were shocked by Sassuolo.
Simone Inzaghi’s team went unbeaten in their last 13 fixtures in all competitions, posting 10 wins.
The defence played well throughout those 13 games and go into Tuesday night having not conceded a goal in their last two matches.
Imanol Alguacil will be without Mendez for the match following an arm injury. Forward Mikel Oyarzabal is a doubt to make the squad. Inzaghi will be without three defenders, including Denzel Dumfries, Stefan de Vrij, and Benjamin Pavard.
Like the reverse fixture, Tuesday’s game should finish in a draw, as the teams share the spoils 1-1.