Borussia Dortmund will meet FC Internazionale in European competition for the first time in 25 years and only the third time in total on Wednesday. Below are the facts on the clash at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.

History

  • The two clubs last faced off in the quarter-final of the 1993/94 UEFA Cup. Inter, who went on to beat Salzburg in the final, won the first leg in Dortmund 3-1. BVB took a two-goal lead in the return leg, with Matthias Sammer hitting the bar too, before Antonio Manicone netted in the 80th minute to put the Italians through.
  • Inter also prevailed in the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup in April 1964. Having drawn 2-2 at the Rote Erde Stadium, the Nerazzurri won 2-0 at the San Siro. The Milan outfit went on to win the cup that year too, picking up the most important club trophy in European football thanks a 3-1 win over Real Madrid in the final.
  • The Black & Yellows last played in Italy in the 2017/18 campaign, drawing 1-1 against Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 after winning the first leg 3-2 at home.
  • BVB have an almost even record from their last nine visits to Italy, with three wins, two draws and four defeats.

The scenario

  • Having drawn 1-1 in Prague on the opening day, Inter then lost 2-1 in Barcelona. The Nerazzurri are now without a win in four European games (two defeats, two draws) and have only found the net twice in that time.
  • In fact, the Italians are now winless in six matches in the UEFA Champions League (three draws, three defeats).

Inter Milan

  • FC Internazionale, who finished fourth in Serie A in 2018/19, were the last Italian team to lift the UEFA Champions League in 2010.
  • Inter are in the group stages for the 13th time – last season was the first time since 2011/12.
  • In 2018/19, Inter won their first two matches against Tottenham and PSV Eindhoven but only picked up two more points after that and subsequently missed out on second place in Group B to Spurs on account of their inferior goal difference. Barcelona won the group. In the UEFA Europa League, Inter got the better of Rapid Vienna in the Round of 32 (1-0 away and 4-0 at home), before going out to Eintracht Frankfurt by a 1-0 aggregate scoreline in the Round of 16 (0-0 away, 0-1 at home).
  • The defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt ended a run of six home games unbeaten in European competition for Inter Milan (four wins, two draws).
  • The loss against the Eagles was the fourth home defeat in succession against German clubs. The 4-0 victory over Werder Bremen in September 2010 was the only win in the past seven games (one draw, five home defeats).

Borussia Dortmund

  • The German runners-up are in the UEFA Champions League group stages for the 14th season. BVB have reached the knockout stages in five of their last six campaigns in the competition.
  • In last season's group phase, BVB won 1-0 and 2-0 in Bruges and Monaco respectively; this term they won 2-0 in Prague.
  • That means the Black & Yellows have won three of their last five games in the Champions League.