Tottenham Hotspur vs Inter Milan
Their weekend victory over previously unbeaten Chelsea was the perfect way to gear up for this must-win clash.
After reigniting their Premier League challenge, now Spurs welcome Inter Milan to Wembley to try and rescue their Champions League campaign.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side seemed dead and buried only weeks ago, yet a last gasp victory over PSV Eindhoven has them believing again.
Now the maths are simple SBOBET fans: anything but victory will see them drop out of the Champions League.
Talking Points
Champions League 2018 news points to the return to form and fitness of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Heung Min-Son – most of whom had lengthy World Cup campaigns in the summer.
Even the absence of Jan Vertonghen has been overcome in recent weeks and, after being named among the substitutes at the weekend, he may well start in this one.
With former PSG favourite Lucas Moura among the others Pochettino can call upon, Spurs are starting to look consistently more like the side they have been in recent seasons – a team capable of beating anyone on their day.
They will certainly need to be at their best offensively to breach the second-best defence in Serie A.
They will also be well aware of the danger that Mauro Icardi and new boy Keita Balde Diao may well pose – fresh from his debut double at the weekend.
The likelihood is Diao will be on the bench for this one as boss Luciano Spaletti turns to his strongest XI.
To consider the importance of this one for Inter, you only had to look at their team sheet at the weekend with Icardi, Ivan Perisic and Matias Vecino all rested and another key player in Marcelo Brozovic suspended.
They will all be back for the trip to Wembley knowing a point will confirm their qualification to the knockout stages from Group B.
Against Barcelona last time out, Inter showed they are capable of matching the favourites so a trip to Wembley to face a side they beat 2-1 in September, courtesy of a late, late show – delivered by Icardi and Vecino – will not daunt them.
Given the history of the five previous meetings between these two clubs, this has all the ingredients to be a cracker.
History
Few football fans will forget their meetings in the 2010/11 group stages of the competition.
Inter Milan were the reigning European champions but Jose Mourinho, the man who guided them to their success, had moved to Real Madrid and Rafa Benitez was now in charge (as it turned out not for much longer).
The first game half of the first game showed why Inter were champions and stunned shocked Spurs, reduced to 10 men early on, who were playing in the competition for the first time since they reached the European Cup semi-finals in 1962.
Inter were 4-0 up inside 35 minutes, led by a Samuel Eto’o double.
Remarkably, Spurs nearly pulled off what would have been one of the greatest comebacks in their history as a young full-back named Gareth Bale took centre stage.
He netted a second half hat-trick, including two in stoppage time, which left Inter more relieved when the full-time whistle was sounded.
A fortnight later and buoyed by their near miracle fightback, Spurs turned the tables.
On a never-to-be-forgotten night at White Hart Lane, Bale produced another masterclass, setting up two goals in a 3-1 success, secured by goals from Rafael van der Vaart, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Their only other encounters before this season came in the Europa League four years ago when Bale again played a key part in a 3-0 home success in the last 16.
Although Inter won 4-1 in the San Siro second leg after extra-time, the north Londoners progressed to the quarter-finals on away goals.
Betting Tip
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Tottenham Hotspur vs Inter Milan | Tottenham Hotspur Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.36. |
| November 29, 04:00 (GMT+8) |
Considering their placing in Serie A, Champions League 2018 betting odds rank Inter as outsiders. Their 1X2 odds stand @ 4.50 and even the draw @ 3.50, while Spurs are a much tighter @ 1.77.
For Spurs to avenge September’s defeat in Milan with a correct score of 2-1 you will receive a pay-out @ 7.00.
The double chance Inter or Draw also has an appeal @ 1.96.
I do expect goals in this one and over 2.75 goals @ 1.90 seems a safe,if somewhat underwhelming tip, while total goal 4-6 @ 3.00 is also one to consider strongly.
I expect the Italians to qualify but not this week and I am not going to back them, despite the attractiveness of Asian Handicap + 0.50 Inter Milan @ 2.19.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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