The Nerazzurri are away at Borussia Dortmund, who themselves will be hoping for the three points to, at the very least, keep them from dropping out of the playoff positions.
Inter's form against the best teams is becoming a concern
It's therefore vital for both sides that they go for the victory rather than hedging their bets and looking for a draw.
Given that Inter are starting to pull away from the chasing pack in Serie A - they're currently top of the table on 52 points, five ahead of neighbours AC Milan and nine ahead of Roma and Napoli in third and fourth - the expectation of their progression isn't without foundation.
However, their form against top-quality opponents this season has begun to see a theme developing that should be a concern to first-team coach Cristian Chivu.
When one considers just how good Inter were in the two epic UCL semi-finals last season, it does beg the question as to whether their trouncing by Paris Saint-Germain in the final was the beginning of a pattern.
Arsenal loss wasn't a surprise
Against Arsenal recently, a 3-1 home defeat was regrettable, but against a team that had won all of their previous Champions League games this season, it was hardly a surprise.
A 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool also wouldn't appear to be the worst result in the world, although Inter were below par for a lot of the game and the Reds were unlucky not to add to their solitary goal from Dominik Szoboszlai.
When you factor in that they've also lost 2-1 away at Atletico Madrid, 3-1 away at Napoli in Serie A, 4-3 away at Juventus and 1-0 at home to Milan - not forgetting the loss of the Supercoppa Italiana final against Bologna on penalties - it's hugely revealing.
Incredibly, since winning the Scudetto in 2023/24, Inter haven't beaten Napoli, Milan or Juve in any of the last 12 games against them (D5, L7).
That's not just a lack of consistency; it hints at a mental weakness when facing the best Italy and Europe have to offer.
What are the issues?
A battling 1-0 win against Roma would seem to be the only worthwhile win on their CV this season, so what appears to be the problem?
In some cases, one can potentially point to a lack of concentration.
Inter have conceded six goals in matches this season after the 80th minute, including against Atleti and Liverpool.
Whilst it might be considered harsh to suggest that the Nerazzurri had been playing for the draw in both cases, in light of events, one couldn't be vilified for reaching such a conclusion either.
Football is a game of 90, not 80 minutes, after all.
Viktor Gyokeres smashed home Arsenal's third on 83 minutes to take the game away from their Italian hosts in that match, too.
One of the oldest squads in European football
With one of the oldest squads in Europe, it's blindingly obvious that the physical demands in the bigger games will be significant.
Indeed, possession has sometimes dropped off to below 40% collectively in the final 15 minutes of certain games, telling its own story.
Chivu can plan all he wants for matches in terms of squad selection and formation, but if his first-choice XI - and/or substitutes - are just not fit enough, there's going to be a problem or two to address.
With domestic and European games for elite clubs coming thick and fast, having a younger, more vibrant squad is of obvious benefit.
Lack of rotation to blame?
Given Inter don't have that, the evident lack of rotation from the management team, despite this apparent concern, also highlights the issue and raises questions about those in the dugout.
Perhaps one could point to the average goals conceded per match as one of the core reasons for this issue, suggesting defensive instability. In 2024/25 Inter's average was 0.9 goals conceded, whilst that figure has now risen to 1.1 in the current campaign.
Chivu enjoys his team pressing opponents as high up the pitch as possible, which flies in the face of the Italian Catenaccio style of play.
That type of game requires a high level of physical effort and will, of course, hinder older players' ability to get back and help defend in the latter stages of games.
Slammed by former player Bergomi
One could again point the finger at the bench for a seeming inability to understand that changing a formation in-game to a more defensive one isn't an admittance that they'd got it wrong; moreover, it shows great squad and game management.
Indeed, if players such as Lautaro Martinez, Hakan Calhanoglu and Marcus Thuram aren't banging in the goals at one end, then it brings scrutiny very quickly back on the defensive line, because high-level opponents are exposing that weakness time and again.
As long ago as the start of the 2024/25 season, former Inter player Beppe Bergomi had a lot to say about where his club were heading.
“Inter are the oldest team in the league," he said at the time. "They struggle in midfield, and Milan’s strikers’ pace really caused trouble for them.
"Physically, I didn’t see Inter well. I think they are struggling to play two consecutive high-level games, mentally and physically.
“They played well against Manchester City, but the match was mentally demanding, and they were exhausted in the second half.
“Since last season, I’ve thought that they are not the best team. They need the proper attitude. Without that, it becomes hard.
“Without certain players who are strong in one-on-one, they have problems when they must dominate proceedings. They were so good with preventive marking last season, but did you see against Milan? When the others accelerate, their defence is old and slow.”
In two and a half years, it seems that nothing has changed...
