Inter vs. Arsenal: Live Champions League Updates, Scores & Analysis

Updating Live (23) Pinned Link copied Matchday 7 schedule and scores Kairat Almaty 1, Club Brugge 4 Bodo/Glimt 3, Manchester City 1 Inter 1, Arsenal 2 (HT) Tottenham 2, Borussia Dortmund 0 (HT) Olympiacos 2, Bayer Leverkusen 0 (HT) Villarreal 0, Ajax 0 (HT) Copenhagen 0, Napoli 1 (HT) Sporting CP 0, Paris Saint-Germain 0 (HT) Real Madrid 2, Monaco 0 (HT) See New Posts Pinned Link copied Doubling the lead Olympiakos are a tough team to knock off at home and Bayer Leverkusen are learning that the hard way. Striker Mehdi Taremi has scored in what will likely be the last action before the end of the first half to give the hosts a 2-0 advantage. Pinned Link copied Big goal for Solanke It's Dominic Solanke's first goal since May, as injuries have limited him to only seven appearances this season. Tottenham are now up a man and up two goals. Is this a result that could keep Thomas Frank in charge for another week? Pinned Link copied Now a brace for Gabriel Jesus Of course, this one came from a corner kick as Trossard heads it to Gabriel Jesus, and the Gunners are back on top. Bayern Munich would like a word, but Arsenal are making a very strong argument for being the best team in Europe. Pinned Link copied And that's a brace for Mbappe That one didn't take long as Kylian Mbappe now has 11 goals in this Champions League campaign, and Real Madrid are off and running. This one was also assisted by Vinicius Junior, who also could use a big game for Los Blancos after being booed over the weekend. Can't ask for a better start than this. Pinned Link copied What a hit Petar Sucic He won't hit many better than that. The ball pinged around the box, but he was able to strike it well when it fell, and we're level in Italy. This has developed into quite a match. Pinned Link copied Is Cristian Romero Tottenham's best striker? He now has five goals and two assists this season for a team that has been anemic going forward. With Thomas Frank on the hot seat, that's a massive goal for Tottenham and one that could put them within striking distance of clinching passage directly to the round of 16. Pinned Link copied Gabriel Jesus is off the mark The goals are flowing early today, and Gabriel Jesus nets his second goal of the season for Arsenal. Since making his first appearance for Arsenal this season on December 10th, he now has two goals and an assist in all competitions. For comparison, in 26 matches, Viktor Gyokeres has eight goals and one assist in 26 appearances this season. Pinned Link copied Who else but Mbappe It only took five minutes for Real Madrid to strike, and it's via Mbappe scoring his 10th Champions League goal already. It's the best ever Champions League scoring season for the Frenchman, and it's just getting started. Pinned Link copied We're underway All seven matches of the late slate are in action, and we already have our first goal coming from Greece, where Olympiacos lead Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 after only two minutes of action. Pinned Link copied A massive loss for City And just like that, Arsenal are guaranteed a place in the top eight of the league phase table. City can still make it with a win against Galatasaray, depending on what happens around them, but they'll need to do it without Rodri, who will be suspended. Marc Guehi can't come into the defense fast enough as Abdukodir Khusanov has struggled to adapt to life at City since joining from Lens. The club has been spiraling, and it's time to begin wondering if the Pep Guardiola era is coming to an end. Pinned Link copied Prediction: Inter 0, Arsenal 1 A battle between the league leaders in Italy and England will offer plenty of intrigue, especially as both sides contend for a top eight finish in the league phase and hope to book a direct spot in the round of 16. This game, though, is still Arsenal's to lose and it feels as if Europe's most in-form team – and deepest squad – is unlikely to do so. The Gunners' defense is as organized as it gets and their years-long effort to stockpile attackers means they probably have the goods for a narrow win against Inter and maintain top spot in the table. -- Pardeep Cattry Pinned Link copied Prediction: Real Madrid 2, Monaco 2 It is hard to know what to expect from Real Madrid after a very chaotic week that included Xabi Alonso's ouster and a surprise exit in the Copa del Rey to second division side Albacete. The pressure to perform is as clear as ever and Alonso did get the group going before his exit, so goals may not be much of an issue on Tuesday in the Champions League. Visitors Monaco have a bit of a chaotic streak, though, goals and defensive lapses coming in almost equal measure for the Ligue 1 side in European play this season. It feels like a perfect set-up for a dramatic encounter in Spain against a fellow agent of chaos in Real Madrid, who do not exactly seem positioned for a strong finish to the season without Alonso. -- Pardeep Cattry Pinned Link copied A big chance for Franco Mastantuono Someone who fell out of favor under Xabi Alonso, Mastantuono has been heavily involved in Real Madrid matches since Alvaro Arbeloa took over as manager. Now hosting Monaco, Real Madrid can surge up the table and they'll be looking to young players to push the pace with Mastantuono and Arda Guler in the XI. Pinned Link copied Declan Rice rests for Arsenal Mikel Arteta will switch things up a bit in this match, with Eze and Gabriel Jesus coming into the XI for Viktor Gyokeres and Declan Rice. Gyokeres has struggled, so that's something that is expected, but facing a tough customer in Inter, this will be quite a clash in Italy. Pinned Link copied There goes Rodri Two yellows for cynical fouls just a minute apart from each other, and Rodri's had a full match to remember. Everything about his season hasn't hit the standard one would expect from the City midfielder, but this is a full doom spiral in Norway, and there's plenty of time for it to get worse. Pinned Link copied Cherki pulls one back It took 61 minutes and three goals conceded, but City finally have their first goal of the day. The comeback could be on, but the defense will need to tighten up. Pinned Link copied This is a madness Bodo have hit a third, and this one is just a banger from Jens Hauge. He saw the space from outside the box, and Donnarumma couldn't stop him. This may be a step too far for City to be able to come back from, and it's a match that makes you wonder if we could be seeing the end of the Guardiola era at City. Pinned Link copied Back underway Manchester City have opted not to make any changes at the start of the second half of play. Considering that Pep Guardiola has a short bench at his disposal, it does make sense, but this match could need Nathan Ake to settle a defense which didn't cover itself in glory in the first half of play. There is a route back for City in the second half, but they'll need an early goal to make it happen. Pinned Link copied Wide from Haaland It was City's best chance of the half so far, and Erling Haaland sends it wide. The City striker has been going through uncharacteristic struggles with only one goal in his last seven matches, and if City are going to get back into this match, they'll need much more from the Norwegian in the second half of play or their place in the top eight of the league phase table could be at risk. Pinned Link copied Player to watch: Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid After the chorus of boos that greeted Madrid at the weekend, Vinicius is one of several with a point to prove to the Santiago Bernabeu. If the sacking of Xabi Alonso is to be justified, it will have to be because one of the most dangerous attackers in the world performs far better under Alvaro Arbeloa. Tuesday would be a good time to start proving that can be the case. -- James Benge Pinned Link copied Inter and Arsenal meet for must-see television We could be in for a preview of the Champions League final. Inter have finished as runners-up in two of the last three Champions League finals, and Cristian Chivu has them on track to make another deep run in this competition. Meanwhile, Arsenal are marching toward a Premier League title and are still chasing the first Champions League title in their rich club history. Their defensive dominance has translated to European play, but matches like this one, facing Inter, are what will show if Mikel Arteta's side can rise to the occasion and better their semifinal appearance from last season. Both teams are currently in the top six of the league phase table, with Arsenal leading the pack, only allowing one goal in the Champions League, while Inter are sixth, allowing four goals. It could be hard for anyone to hit the back of the net, but sometimes when teams meet in matches of this magnitude, they can open up.