Inter vs Kairat

Inter Milan continue their quest for a third consecutive deep run in the UEFA Champions League as they welcome Kairat to San Siro for their first-ever meeting. This marks the first time either club has faced opponents from the other’s country, highlighting the scale of the challenge awaiting the visitors in Milan. The Nerazzurri have firmly established themselves among Europe’s elite in recent years. Now in their 19th Champions League campaign and eighth in a row, Inter enter Matchday 4 as one of the competition’s most in-form teams. They are one of just five sides to win all three of their opening league phase fixtures this season and, alongside Arsenal, the only team yet to concede a goal. Inter’s record at San Siro in Europe is formidable. The Italian giants are unbeaten in their last 17 home Champions League matches (W14 D3), a run stretching back to September 2022 when they lost 0–2 to Bayern Munich. Inter have also lost just one of their last 17 group stage or league phase games overall (W12 D4), winning nine of the last ten and keeping 11 clean sheets in their last 12 fixtures. Their most recent outing — a commanding 4–0 victory away to Union Saint-Gilloise — underlined their clinical form at both ends of the pitch. They will be looking to extend their impressive winning run when they host the visitors. Captain Lautaro Martínez has been central to Inter’s success. The Argentine forward has scored 11 goals in his last ten Champions League appearances. He is expected to team up with Francesco Pio Esposito at the attacking end of a 3—5—2 formation.

For Kairat [LLD], this fixture represents a historic occasion. The Kazakh champions are appearing in the Champions League proper for the first time, becoming only the second club from their nation to do so after Astana’s debut in 2015/16. Their European pedigree remains limited — their only prior group stage experience came in the 2021/22 UEFA Conference League, where they finished bottom of their section (D2 L4). Kairat arrive in Milan on a difficult run, without a win in six European matches (D3 L3) and failing to score in five of those. However, their defensive resilience has been a rare positive, with five clean sheets in their last eight continental outings. Facing an Inter side in rampant form, Kairat will need discipline, courage, and perhaps a touch of inspiration to make history as the first Kazakh team to win a Champions League proper match. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Dastan Satpaev in attack is expected against Inter.