Legendary former AC Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta believes that Inter are currently stronger than their opponents for tomorrow’s Champions League group stage opener, Real Madrid.

Speaking to Rome-based newspaper Il Messaggero in an interview published in today’s print edition, the 55-year-old gave the view that neither the Spanish not Italian teams are among the favourites this year, but named the Nerazzurri as the more formidable team than Real.

Inter will hope to make a more positive impression in this season’s Champions League campaign, having failed to progress beyond the group stage in each of the past three seasons.

Getting into the knockout rounds may be more than achievable, but Costacurta believes that going all the way and winning the competition could prove to be beyond the Nerazzurri as well as other Italian sides.

“I don’t think they are well-equipped to aim high,” he said of Serie A teams this season. “They well have difficulty in reaching the quarter-finals.”

He went on, “I’d like to be surprised. Inter are perhaps the team ahead of the rest of Italian league, while for the Champions League, although it may seem strange, I think Juventus have experience that could lead them to the quarterfinals. No further than that though.”

Regarding tomorrow’s clash Costacurta said, “I see Inter ahead. My friend Carletto [Real manager Carlo Ancelotti] will have to work well this year because Real is also a team in need of fresh motivation. This new signing, Camavinga, has arrived, but he’s still a boy, he’s eighteen, and Ancelotti will have to perform a miracle this season.”