Inter-Shakhtar: Spence starts, Bonny partners Thuram

After defeats to Real Madrid and Club Brugge, Inter are seeking their first points of this Champions League campaign. For matchday three of the league phase, Cristian Chivu puts Spence on the right flank and picks Bonny to partner Thuram in a 3-5-2. Pio Esposito starts on the bench, while Martínez keeps his place in goal, with Di Gennaro and Provedel among the substitutes.

Ahead of the goalkeeper, the back three consists of Akanji, Bastoni and Carlos Augusto: Bastoni therefore takes the central role, while Bisseck remains on the bench. With Carlos Augusto in the back three, Dimarco takes the left flank. In midfield, Sučić joins Barella and Çalhanoğlu; Mkhitaryan and Zieliński are available, as are Luis Henrique and Diouf.

Arda Turan responds with a 4-1-4-1, with Kauã Elias as the lone striker. Vinicius Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko and Pedro Henrique line up in front of Riznyk. Ocheretko sits in front of the defence, behind a midfield line of Alisson Santana, Pedrinho, Marlon Gomes and Mendoza. The visitors arrive at San Siro with four points from a win over AEK and a draw with PSV.

The head-to-head record favours the Nerazzurri: in seven previous meetings, including qualifiers, Inter have recorded three wins and four draws, keeping six clean sheets. One of those wins at San Siro came on 24 November 2021, when Džeko’s brace secured a 2-0 victory over the Ukrainian side. This time, the priority is to end a pointless start to their European campaign. Kick-off is set for 21:00 CEST, with Harm Osmers refereeing: neither side has any players suspended or one booking away from a ban.