The UEFA Champions League league phase continues at Stadio San Siro, where Inter Milan welcome Kazakhstan’s reigning champions Kairat Almaty in what looks, on paper, to be one of the most one-sided fixtures of Matchday 4.
Inter enter this clash on the back of nine wins in their last ten matches across all competitions, continuing their dominance both domestically and in Europe. In contrast, Kairat, while celebrating consecutive league triumphs in their homeland, have found life in the UEFA Champions League extremely tough, managing just one point from their opening three games.
After falling short in last season’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, Cristian Chivu’s men seem determined to make another deep run in the competition. The Nerazzurri have brushed aside Ajax, Slavia Prague, and Union Saint-Gilloise with impressive efficiency, scoring freely while maintaining defensive discipline.
Remarkably, Inter are one of only two teams in the competition, alongside Arsenal, to have kept three clean sheets in their opening fixtures. Their consistency is rooted in a balanced system, solid at the back, compact in midfield, and ruthless in the final third, led by captain Lautaro Martinez, who continues to deliver decisive goals.
The Italian giants are also formidable at home, boasting an unbeaten run of 17 Champions League fixtures at San Siro, including 14 victories. Their defensive unit, marshalled by Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni, has provided the foundation for their success, while the creative spark of Hakan Calhanoglu and the dynamism of Denzel Dumfries on the right have added to their potency going forward.
For Rafael Urazbakhtin’s Kairat, merely qualifying for the opening stage represents an achievement. Their dramatic penalty shootout victory over Celtic in the final qualifying round was a high point, but since then, the gulf in class at this level has been evident.
Crushed 4-1 by Sporting CP and 5-0 by Real Madrid, before earning a goalless draw against Pafos FC, Kairat have struggled to compete against Europe’s elite. Their lack of attacking threat is glaring; they have failed to score in five of their last six Champions League games, while their defence has conceded ten goals in their last three.
Despite that, domestically Kairat remain a force, having just secured back-to-back Kazakhstan Premier League titles, finishing two points clear of Astana. However, the demands of competing on multiple fronts have clearly exposed the limitations of their squad depth. Against Inter’s pressing, movement, and technical precision, Kairat’s main objective will likely be to contain the scoreline rather than to mount a serious challenge.
All signs point toward another dominant European performance from Inter Milan. With their perfect record, defensive solidity, and attacking rhythm, the Nerazzurri are strong favourites to finish in the top eight. For Kairat, the focus will be on resilience and damage limitation, as they aim to gain valuable experience from their first-ever Champions League campaign.
Inter’s superior quality, home advantage, and tactical depth make them overwhelming favourites heading into this clash. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu is likely to make selective rotations ahead of a congested fixture run, though the overall spine of his side should remain intact. The Nerazzurri have maintained a relentless tempo across all competitions, and Chivu will be conscious of preserving energy levels without compromising their momentum in the Champions League.
In terms of absentees, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Matteo Darmian are the only players unavailable for selection. Mkhitaryan is sidelined due to a muscle strain sustained during training, while Darmian continues to recover from a minor hamstring issue. The pair are expected to return in the coming weeks. Marcus Thuram, who has recently resumed full training after a short spell out with a thigh problem, is not expected to start but could be eased back into action from the bench.
Having rested several key figures over the weekend, Chivu is expected to recall his mainstays such as Nicolo Barella, Federico Dimarco, Francesco Acerbi, and Denzel Dumfries. Club captain Lautaro Martinez, in scintillating form with 11 goals in his last 10 Champions League outings, is expected to lead the attack once more and will likely resist any suggestion of a rest.
Inter are expected to retain their familiar 3-5-2 formation, designed to control possession and exploit width through their wing-backs. Yann Sommer will guard the goal, shielded by a back three of Yann Bisseck, Manuel Akanji, and Carlos Augusto, who will be tasked with initiating build-up play from deep.
In midfield, Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco will occupy the wing-back positions, offering width and overlapping support. The central trio of Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Piotr Zielinski provides the perfect blend of creativity, control, and defensive balance, with Calhanoglu expected to orchestrate play from the base while Barella drives forward.
Up front, Lautaro Martinez will spearhead the attack, partnered by Francesco Pio Esposito, who may get the nod over Ange-Yoan Bonny to gain valuable Champions League experience. Esposito’s work rate and positional awareness should complement Martinez’s instinctive finishing and link-up play, making Inter a formidable threat both in open play and from set-pieces.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Augusto; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Martinez, Esposito
Kairat Almaty travel to Milan with several key attacking absentees that could severely limit their offensive options. The Kazakh champions are without their experienced Brazilian forward duo Joao Paulo and Elder Santana, both of whom are long-term injury victims and were consequently omitted from the club’s Champions League squad for the league phase. Their absence has significantly weakened Kairat’s frontline depth and creativity in the final third.
Adding to their concerns, another Brazilian attacker, Edmilson, who found the net in the 4-1 defeat to Sporting CP earlier in the competition, remains a minor doubt due to muscular tightness sustained in training. Although not completely ruled out, he is unlikely to start against Inter Milan, with head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin expected to avoid unnecessary risks against elite opposition.
With both first-choice forwards unavailable, Dastan Satpayev, the 19-year-old Kazakh prodigy recently linked with Chelsea, is expected to lead the attack. Satpayev’s energy, movement, and willingness to press high up the pitch have impressed this season, and he will once again be supported by Jorginho, the Portuguese playmaker tasked with orchestrating Kairat’s offensive transitions.
Kairat are set to line up in their customary 4-2-3-1 formation, focusing on maintaining a compact defensive shape while attempting to break quickly on the counter-attack. Temirlan Anarbekov will start in goal, protected by a back four consisting of Yerkin Tapalov at right-back, Alyaksandr Martynovich and Yegor Sorokin at centre-back, and Luis Mata at left-back.
In midfield, the double pivot of Dan Glazer and Ofri Arad will be vital in screening the defence and disrupting Inter’s rhythm in central areas. Further ahead, Alexander Mrynskiy and Valery Gromyko will operate on the wings, providing width and defensive cover, while Jorginho takes up a central playmaking role just behind the striker.
Up front, Dastan Satpayev will spearhead the attack, looking to exploit any gaps left behind Inter’s advancing defenders. However, Kairat’s priority will almost certainly be damage limitation, aiming to stay disciplined, absorb pressure, and look for isolated moments of transition to threaten on the break.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Anarbekov; Tapalov, Martynovich, Sorokin, Mata; Glazer, Arad; Mrynskiy, Jorginho, Gromyko; Satpayev
Inter Milan are unbeaten in their last 17 Champions League home games, winning 14 of those. Their last defeat at San Siro in the competition came more than two years ago, against Real Madrid.
The Nerazzurri have kept 11 clean sheets in their last 12 Champions League group or league-phase fixtures, including all three matches in the current campaign. Only Arsenal can match Inter’s defensive record this season.
Inter have scored at least two goals in 10 of their last 11 Champions League games, averaging over 2.3 goals per match during that run. Lautaro Martinez alone has scored 11 goals in his past 10 appearances in the competition.
Kairat Almaty have never won a Champions League match, failing to score in five of their last six games in the competition (including qualifiers). They have conceded 10 goals in their last three group matches this season.
Inter Milan are five-time European Cup/Champions League winners, while Kairat are making their first-ever group stage appearance in the competition. The combined number of Champions League games played by Kairat’s current squad (17) is fewer than Lautaro Martínez’s individual tally (19).
There could hardly be a more fitting focal point for this contest than Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan’s inspirational captain and talismanic goalscorer. The Argentine forward has evolved into one of Europe’s most complete strikers, combining ruthless finishing, intelligent link-up play, and relentless work rate.
Martinez has been in sensational form in the Champions League, finding the net 11 times in his last 10 appearances. His movement inside the box, ability to drop deep to facilitate build-up, and knack for converting half-chances have made him a nightmare for defenders. Against a side like Kairat, inexperienced at this level and prone to defensive lapses, his sharpness and instinctive timing could prove decisive.
Beyond his scoring prowess, Martinez’s leadership has become central to Inter’s identity under Cristian Chivu. He sets the tone with his pressing, his willingness to track back, and his intensity in transitions. With Inter seeking to maintain their perfect start in Europe, Martinez will look to inspire another commanding home performance, potentially adding to his already impressive European tally.
If Kairat are to stand any chance of keeping this match competitive, stopping Lautaro Martinez will be their first, and perhaps impossible, challenge.
Inter Milan enter this contest in formidable form and with a clear objective, to seal early qualification to the next round. Cristian Chivu’s side have been dominant both domestically and in Europe, combining defensive solidity with attacking fluency. Against a Kairat Almaty team making its debut at this level, the gulf in class, experience, and tactical discipline is simply too vast to ignore.
Kairat, despite their domestic dominance and commendable effort to reach this stage, have struggled badly in the competition. Their defensive fragility and lack of cutting edge up front, compounded by injuries to key forwards, leave them ill-equipped to deal with Inter’s press, pace, and positional rotations.
Inter’s captain Lautaro Martinez will almost certainly lead from the front once again, supported by Hakan Calhanoglu’s precision from midfield and Federico Dimarco’s dangerous deliveries from wide areas. Even if Chivu opts to rest a few regulars, the Nerazzurri’s depth should see them cruise to another emphatic win.
