Leipzig target Champions League revival in Milan

• Watch all Leipzig's Bundesliga goals so far this season
• Five reason Leipzig will beat Inter
• Is this Leipzig's year in the Bundesliga?
• Find out how Germany's teams are faring in Europe

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Leipzig are earger for his team's Champions League revival to begin at the San Siro, with Die Roten Bullen still seeking a first win after four straight defeats in the competition, despite running Atletico Madrid (2-1), Juventus (3-2), Liverpool (1-0) and Celtic (3-1) close each time. Indeed, a dramatic weekend reverse at Hoffenheim means that Leipzig are in need of a lift after now going four matches without success in all competitions. The current form of Marco Rose's side contrasts sharply with their exceptional start to the season, but there is plenty of hope for a revival, especially given the form of some of the team's star turns. Xavi Simons may be absent through injury, but Antonio Nusa - who brought his Bundesliga goal involvements to five at the weekend - has been a shining light for Tuesday's visitors. Forwards Loïs Openda and Benjamin Šeško, meanwhile, have managed 13 goals between them in all competitions and will pose a major threat in Milan. However, any Leipzig victory in Italy this week will have to come without Yussuf Poulsen, El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Xaver Schlager and David Raum, who are all sidelined. 

Inter soared to a 5-0 win over Verona on Saturday in a victory that featured Borussia Mönchengladbach old boys Yann Sommer (also once of Bayern Munich) and Marcus Thuram, the latter netting twice at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi. This week's hosts are now just one point off the lead in Serie A, while their Champions League form has been equally as impressive, with Simone Inzaghi's men undefeated and with three wins from four in this season's revamped competition. Team captain Lautaro Martínez was absent with fever at the weekend but is expected back for the visit of Leipzig, while Inzaghi was once again able to call upon the recovered Carlos Augusto and Tajon Buchanan on Saturday. The 2023 finalists go into their latest test against Bundesliga opposition on the back of 11 games without a loss at home in European club football's elite competition, having failed to concede in nine of those.    

Watch: Antonio Nusa flying high at Leipzig 

• Openda struck four times in eight Champions League games last season, but is yet to fire in the new-format competition.
• Leipzig have a perfect record in Italy, having beaten Atalanta and Napoli in the 2021/22 and 2017/18 UEFA Europa League respectively.
• Rose will oversee his record-extending 20th Champions League game as Leipzig coach - more than any of his predecessors. Julian Nagelsmann held the previous record (18 matches between 2019/20 and 2020/21).
• Die Roten Bullen are playing Champions League football for the seventh time. They've reached the knockouts on four occasions, going as far as the semi-finals in 2019/20.
• A Bayern team that included Inter's Benjamin Pavard won the Champions League that season. All told, the Frenchman made 163 competitive appearances for the record champions.
• Inter's head-to-head record against German clubs in the Champions League reads: W8, D4, L9.

Probable teams

Inter: Sommer - Pavard, De Vrij, Acerbi - Dumfries, Mkhitaryan, Barella (c), Çalhanoğlu, Dimarco - Taremi, Thuram
Out: -
Doubtful: Martínez (ill)
Coach: Simone Inzaghi

Leipzig: Gulácsi - Geertruida, Orbán (c), Castello, Henrichs - Baumgartner, Vermeeren, Haidara, Nusa - Openda, Šeško
Out: Bitshiabu (muscular), Elmas (hamstring), Poulsen (muscular), Raum (ankle), Schlager (knee), Xavi (ankle)
Doubtful: Klostermann (thigh)
Coach: Marco Rose

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