Inter vs Arsenal LIVE: Champions League score and updates as Martin Odegaard returns to bench

Wow. What a start this would have been for the hosts. Lautaro Martinez receives the ball and slips it forward for his strike partner Mehdi Taremi.

He storms up to the box then swings a cross over to Denzel Dumfries who is wide open. The right wingback controls the ball the rattles a fine effort onto the crossbar!

The Gunners get the ball rolling with Leandro Trossard sweeping the ball across to the left side of the pitch. Gabriel Martinelli makes a run down the wing and the ball is sent in behind the defence for him.

He chases it wholeheartedly but can’t stop it rolling out for a throw in.

The teams make their way out onto the pitch at the San Siro looking determined to get a positive result tonight.

Bukayo Saka leads out the Gunners but it would not be surprising if captain Martin Odegaard makes an appearance at some point tonight.

He starts on the bench for Arsenal. Kick off is up next…

With Arsenal low on confidence and Inter in fine form (they are unbeaten in 11 games) this has the makings of a sad night for Mikel Arteta and co.

Still, there is enough quality in Arsenal’s team to make an impact and possibly even get themselves over the line for what would be a superb win away from home.

The most likely option is a draw, 0-0 is certainly on the cards but optimistically we’ll goe for a scoring one.

The goalless draw at Atalanta on Matchday 1 ended Arsenal’s four-match winning run against Italian teams, although they have still won six of their last eight games (with one draw and one defeat).

The Gunners are unbeaten in three games in Italy (two wins, one draw), where they managed one win in their first seven visits (three draws, three defeats) but have six in the subsequent 11 (two draws, three defeats).

Inter’s 0-0 draw at Manchester City on Matchday 1 made it one win in five games against Premier League teams (with one draw and three defeats).

The Nerazzurri’s last home game against English visitors was a 0-2 first-leg loss to Liverpool in the 2021/22 round of 16. That ended a five-game winning run, and six-game unbeaten streak, at home to teams from England.

And yet they finished Saturday behind Nottingham Forest in the Premier League table after delivering their worst performance of the season in what promises to be a defining week. Newcastle, Inter Milan and Chelsea present a trio of examinations on the road and the Arsenal that Mikel Arteta has constructed seem designed with such tasks in mind. They may be Arteta’s Arsenal 3.0, the battle-hardened rebrand.

Bukayo Saka also touched on Martin Odegaard’s potential return tonight and hos it feels to take on the role of captain in his absence.

He said: “Martin is the captain; I’m just part of the leadership group. When I do wear the armband, I prefer to lead by example. I think it’s important to stay calm and not to overreact.

“I love football, I live for football. When I go home, I watch a lot of football too. I always take care of my body so, if I’m available, I try to play.”

Saka also admitted that big games such as these in the Champions League tend to bring the best out of him despite the increase in pressure on the team.

He said: “In these big games, there’s always a big atmosphere, there’s always a lot of pressure, a lot of intensity and for me I feel it brings the best out of me, so I’m looking forward to it.

“We have a very good record and we’re unbeaten. We’re going to look to keep that record tomorrow night and that’s all we can really do.”

The Women’s Super League side have been forced into a change of venue because of the men’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace which can only be played on the same date as the scheduled meeting with Bayern.

Both games will take place on Wednesday 18th December.