Inter Milan vs Liverpool prediction & betting tips: Salah-less Reds still pack a punch

Liverpool, minus Mohamed Salah, are in Milan this evening looking to show what they can without their Egyptian superstar when they face last season’s Champions League finalist Inter Milan (8pm, live on Amazon Prime).

Salah has dominated the headlines in the build-up to this game following his outburst after the 3-3 draw with Leeds on Saturday and has been left at home for this one amid speculation over a January exit and the identity of Salah’s next club.

Salah has been on the bench for the last three games and Liverpool have avoided defeat in each of those matches. Since being thrashed 4-1 at home by PSV last time out in the Champions League, Arne Slot’s side have beaten West Ham and drawn with Sunderland and Leeds United in the Premier League.

That might not sound like great form, but after losing nine of 12 games, it is certainly an improvement.

They might have lost twice in this competition so far this season, but they are still among the favourites to qualify automatically for the knockout stages at 11/10 in the Champions League odds and the top eight cluster of teams to win the competition in the eyes of the bookies.

The Reds currently sit 13th in the table with nine points from their five games, while tonight’s opponents sit fourth with three more points.

Inter won their opening four matches against Ajax, Slavia Prague, Union St Gilloise and Kairat Almaty but they were beaten last time out by Atletico Madrid.

Piotr Zielinski thought he had rescued a point for Inter in the Spanish capital when he cancelled out Julian Alvarez’s opener, only for Jose Maria Gimenez to score the winner in added time.

These two sides have met six times before, all in this competition, either under its current guise or as the European Cup and the Reds have won four, including three of their last four matches.

Inter won the last meeting, back in March 2022, 1-0 when Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal of the game just two minutes before they were reduced to 10 men when Alexis Sanchez was sent off.

It wasn’t enough to go through to the quarter finals, though, as Liverpool won the first leg 2-0 at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium when Roberto Firmino and Salah were on target.

Five of the last six meetings between the two sides have seen one of the sides win and keep a clean sheet - two for Inter and three for Liverpool.

You have to go back to their first-ever meeting back in May 1965, for the last time both sides scored, but with Liverpool having conceded in 17 of their 23 matches so far and 14 in their last six games, it’s hard to see them keeping a clean sheet tonight.

Inter have only failed to score once in their 20 matches so far this season and have 21 in their last nine in all competitions - so it’s going to be another busy night for Van Dijk and co.

Since losing their first two UEFA Champions League home matches of 2022, including the one against Liverpool, Inter are unbeaten in their last 18 home matches in the competition, winning 15 and drawing three, which is the longest current streak in the competition.

Football betting sites are offering 21/20 on the home side winning, while you can get 13/5 on another Liverpool win in Italy after winning five of their last six away games against Italian sides.

Inter (12.8) and Liverpool (12.7) are the top two sides for non-penalty expected goals in the UEFA Champions League this season. In fact, only Paris St-Germain have had more shots in the competition this term than the Reds, with 100 to Liverpool’s 98, while Inter are fourth on 95.

Seven of Liverpool’s and Inter’s games have seen over 3.5 goals this season, including both games at the weekend. While Liverpool were held to a 3-3 draw at Leeds, Inter were beating Como 4-0 at home.

Inter vs Liverpool prediction 1: Over 3.5 goals - 7/4 BetMGM

Lautaro Martínez has scored in all five of his UEFA Champions League games at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in 2025, with eight goals in total.

The only player to score in 6+ consecutive home appearances in the competition for an Italian club is Andriy Shevchenko for Milan (7 from Mar 2004 to Sep 2005), and betting sites are offering 6/4 on him scoring at any time tonight.

He already has 15 for the season, in 23 games for club and country, including six in his last seven games, and you can also get 5/1 on him scoring first as he has done in five of those fixtures.

The 28-year-old also has previous form against tonight’s opponents, with the winner the last time the two sides met.

Inter vs Liverpool prediction 2: Lautaro Martinez to score at any time - 6/4 BetVictor

Inter are without Denzel Dumfries, while on loan defender Manuel Akanji is doubtful due to illness.

The visitors are without Salah, Jeremie Frimpong and Cody Gakpo, who picked up an injury at the weekend, while Federico Chiesa is a doubt due to illness.

Inter: Sommer; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Carlos Augusto, Barella, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Zieliński, Dimarco; Lautaro Martínez, Thuram

Liverpool: Alisson; Gomez, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Ekitiké; Isak

Bet365 are running a moneyback special for existing customers for Inter vs Liverpool and other Champions League matches on Tuesday.

Customers only need to place a bet builder up to £10 with odds of evens or greater to qualify for the free bet offer, ticking the ‘Money Back As Free Bets’ box on your bet slip to complete the process.

If your bet loses, you’ll receive your money back up to £10 in free bets. Free bets can be used on any sport on the sportsbook and are active for seven days.

If you plan to have a bet on Inter vs Liverpool, make sure to gamble responsibly.

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