5 reasons why Real Madrid could struggle against Inter Milan | UEFA Champions League 2020/21
Real Madrid and Inter Milan meet for the first time since 1998 as the Alfredo di Stefano stadium hosts a potential Champions League classic on Tuesday.
Both teams are winless in Group B after two games and the next pair of games will be absolutely crucial for them and their knock-out round hopes.
Expect fireworks over these two legs between the European powerhouses, however, here's why Real Madrid could struggle against Inter Milan tonight:
5 reasons why Real Madrid could struggle against Inter Milan
#1 Real Madrid's poor home record in Europe
There were several factors behind Real Madrid's recent success in the Champions League, with one of the most important being an excellent record at home. In each of the title-winning years between 2014 and 2018, Los Blancos proved incredibly overwhelming to play against on their turf, winning 20 out of 24 fixtures in the Spanish capital, losing just twice.
The fabled Santiago Bernabeu was an indomitable fortress that even the mightiest sides of the continent found hard to conquer, but since the last two years or so, that aura of 'invincibility' has been severely punctured.
Real Madrid have now won only three of their last nine home games since the 2018/19 season and lost four, including this campaign's opener to Shakhtar Donetsk at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium.
Inter Milan will be aware of this and will come to Madrid hoping to get something off from this fixture.
#2 No consistency in defense
En route to lifting the La Liga trophy in the summer, Real Madrid proved to be one of the meanest sides in Europe. However, defensive issues have cropped up again this season, and they have crept into European games too.
Shakhtar netted thrice against a makeshift Madrid backline inside the first 45 minutes, with Sergio Ramos absent, and Ferland Mendy playing out of position on the right.
So against Gladbach, Zidane shifted the Frenchman back into his natural position on the left and was also bolstered by the return of the talismanic skipper, only to see his side fall 2-0 behind the Bundesliga outfit by the hour mark.
Clearly, this side is plagued with defensive concerns, as a matter of fact, the Whites haven't kept a clean sheet in any of the last five games in all competitions. The Nerazzurri, who've scored six times from the last four games, smell blood in the waters.