One of the standout fixtures of the UEFA Champions League Matchday 7 pits Inter Milan against Arsenal at Stadio San Siro.

Tuesday’s showdown in Italy’s fashion capital could decide the fate of Inter’s quest to secure back-to-back top-eight finishes in the newly formatted league phase.

Despite lacking experience in senior management, new boss Cristian Chivu had enjoyed a dream start to his first managerial campaign at Europe’s top table.

Indeed, the San Siro giants won their opening four European outings under the 45-year-old manager, laying the groundwork for an automatic Round-of-16 qualification.

However, consecutive single-goal margin defeats to Atletico Madrid and Liverpool have thrown a spanner in the works, leaving the Nerazzurri level on points with the ninth-placed Reds.

As a result, there’s no margin for error here, as the Serie A pacesetters take on the only team in this season’s Champions League yet to drop a single point.

With six wins out of six, Arsenal have already set one foot in the second knockout round and are one of the betting favourites to win the competition outright – a market many fans are exploring alongside the latest World Sports Betting sign up bonus as they look for Champions League betting opportunities.

Although Inter are 8/5 favourites to return to winning ways on the continental stage, they must defy their notorious issues in high-profile matches that have plagued them this season.

The Nerazzurri are marginal underdogs in the home fixture at 190/100, while the Gunners head into this match as narrow underdogs, being priced at 31/20 to avenge last season’s 1-0 loss at this venue. 

What Has Been Inter Milan’s Achilles Heel This Season

Gazzetta dello Sport recently heaped praise on Chivu for his impressive start to life at San Siro, hailing his tactical acumen and innovative approach.

Still, the Romanian coach has yet to find a cure for Inter’s inability to take points in ‘big matches.’

For context, three of Inter’s four Serie A defeats this season have come against direct Scudetto rivals, AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli.

Chivu’s men seemed on course to break this ominous trend last weekend, only for Scott McTominay’s double to rescue a point for Napoli in a dramatic 2-2 draw at San Siro.

Meanwhile, Inter lost both Champions League showdowns against teams from Europe’s top five leagues, with their four triumphs coming against sub-par Kairat Almaty, Ajax, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Slavia Prague.

Furthermore, talismanic captain Lautaro Martinez has recently developed a nasty habit of ‘disappearing’ from these types of clashes.

Reigniting El Toro’s scoring prowess in these high-octane moments could be the key to Inter finally turning narrow defeats into statement victories on the European stage.

Make or Break for Inter Milan

With an away game against Borussia Dortmund coming up next, Inter must grind out a result here, but they’re up against the Premier League leaders and one of Europe’s most in-form teams.

Last season’s slender 1-0 win over the Gunners remains one of Inter’s mere two victories in seven Champions League clashes against Premier League opposition (D1, L4), highlighting the scale of the task ahead.

Adding to this sentiment, Mikel Arteta’s charges have won their opening three away European matches this season by an aggregate score of 8-0, netting at least two goals on each occasion.

While that looks intimidating, it is worth noting that none of those wins came against sides from Europe’s top five divisions.

More concerning is the fact that Inter will take the field without star midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, who’s facing a month-long spell on the sidelines due to a calf injury.

Calhanoglu converted a match-winning penalty when Inter met Arsenal at San Siro last season. Moreover, he had bagged eight goals and added four assists this term before suffering an injury.

Despite that, the Nerazzurri have turned down Galatasaray’s offer for the 31-year-old playmaker, deeming the Turk ‘unsellable,’ as reported by Calciomercato.

Calhanoglu’s absence could derail Inter’s rhythm in midfield and strip Chivu’s side of a crucial source of creativity, yet this feels like the best moment for the home side to break their ‘big match’ jinx.