Champions League Group D predictions and odds: Inter facing another early exit

Team-by-team guide, betting predictions, best bets and analysis for Champions League Group D.

Inter Milan

Manager
Simone Inzaghi spent five years at Lazio, his first managerial role, winning the Coppa Italia in 2019 and finishing fourth in Serie A a year later. He seems happy to stick with Antonio Conte's successful 3-5-2 system at Inter.

Transfer activity
Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, two key members of the title-winning side, made big-money moves to Chelsea and PSG. Free agents Edin Dzeko and Hakan Calhanoglu arrived from Roma and Milan and Dutch wing-back Denzel Dumfries, a star of Euro 2020, was signed from PSV.

Key man
Lautaro Martinez was linked with a move away in the summer but is still in place to fill the void left by Romelu Lukaku.

Prospects
Inter ended Juventus's dominance of Serie A last season and their domestic success may have been helped by the fact that they finished bottom of their Champions League group.

That was the Nerazzurri's third consecutive group-stage exit and they will hope to improve on last season's results against Real Madrid (0-2 and 2-3) and Shakhtar Donetsk (two 0-0 draws) when the clubs renew hostilities in Group D.

Title-winning coach Antonio Conte and star striker Romelu Lukaku have left and the Italian champions' financial problems could hamper their chances of getting anywhere near a repeat of their 2010 Champions League triumph.

Inside info

Best 11 (3-5-1-1)
Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Perisic; Martinez; Dzeko

Penalty taker Lautaro Martinez

Set-piece aerial threat Edin Dzeko

Card magnet Marcelo Brozovic

Star rating out of five Three

Real Madrid

Manager
Tempted away from Everton for a second spell at Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti has spent his career at Europe's elite clubs, winning the Champions League with Milan in 2003 and 2007 and Real in 2014.

Transfer activity
It was a mixed summer for Real, who lost senior centre-backs Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, signed free agent David Alaba and highly-rated Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, but missed out on top target Kylian Mbappe.

Key man
Brazil's Casemiro is a crucial part of Real's team, doing the dirty work to allow his more creative teammates to flourish, but also capable of popping up with crucial goals.

Prospects
Real Madrid, European champions in four of the last eight seasons, reached the semi-finals last term despite never looking like convincing contenders.

They lost at home and away to Shakhtar Donetsk in the group stage but beat Atalanta and Liverpool before being outclassed by winners Chelsea in the semis.

Few clubs can match Real's top-level experience with veteran coach Ancelotti in charge, new signing David Alaba at left-back, and a possible front six of Modric, Kroos, Casemiro, Benzema, Bale and Hazard.

Thibaut Courtois is a terrific goalkeeper and youngsters Vinicius Junior and Edouardo Camavinga can help Real close the gap on Europe's top clubs.

Inside info

Best 11 (4-3-3)
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Nacho, Alaba; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Hazard

Penalty taker Karim Benzema

Set-piece aerial threat Eder Militao

Card magnet Casemiro

Star rating out of five Four

Shakhtar Donetsk

Manager
The 42-year-old Roberto De Zerbi led his stylish Sassuolo side to back-to-back eighth-placed finishes in Serie A before being appointed Shakhtar coach in May this year.

Transfer activity
Benfica winger Pedrinho, Ajax forward Lassina Traore and Sassuolo centre-back Marlon Santos were the big summer signings for Shakhtar, who also sold left-back Eduard Sobel to Club Brugge.

Key man
Burkina Faso youngster Lassina Traore was highly rated at Ajax, where he scored five times in a 13-0 Eredivisie win over VVV-Venlo last season, and the pacey striker has made a fine start to his career in Ukraine.

Prospects
Shakhtar Donetsk ended up dropping into the Europa League last season despite beating Real Madrid twice in Group B and holding Serie A winners Inter to a couple of goalless draws.

They needed an extra-time own goal to see off Monaco 3-2 on aggregate in the final qualifying round but look to have recruited well over the summer and coach Roberto De Zerbi worked wonders at Sassuolo.

Shakhtar scored only five goals in six group games last term (all five, bizarrely, against section winners Real) but they have pepped up their attack and should fancy their chances of a top-two finish.

Inside info

Best 11 (4-1-4-1)
Pyatov; Dodo, Marlon Santos, Vitao, Matviyenko; Stepanenko; Pedrinho, Maycon, Alan Patrick, Solomon; Traore

Penalty taker Lassina Traore

Set-piece aerial threat Taras Stepanenko

Card magnet Marlon Santos

Star rating out of five Two

Sheriff Tiraspol

Manager
Ukrainian coach Yuriy Vernydub spent eight years in charge of Zorya Luhansk in his native Ukraine before winning the Belarusian title with Shakhtyor Soligorsk in 2020 and the Moldovan league with Sheriff the following season.

Transfer activity
The Champions League new boys had to be content with free transfers and loan signings this summer. Goalkeeper Giorgios Athanasiadis has made an impressive start to his season-long loan from AEK Athens.

Key man
Adama Traore had more shots on target than any other player in Champions League qualifying, scoring four goals, and his threat on the counter-attack is a useful weapon for the Group D outsiders.

Prospects
Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldovan champions in 19 of the past 21 seasons, have reached the Champions League group stage for the first time after conceding only three goals in four two-legged qualifying ties.

They knocked out Red Star Belgrade and Dinamo Zagreb in the last two of those ties and took 99 points from a possible 108 in the league last season but are facing a huge step up in class.

Sheriff host Shakhtar on matchday one – their softest fixture, at least on paper – but their last appearance in the Europa League group stage was in 2017-18 and a pointless campaign is a big runner.

Inside info

Best 11 (4-2-3-1)
Athanasiadis; Cristiano, Arboleda, Dulanto, Costanza; Addo, Thill; Traore, Kolovos, Castaneda; Luvannor

Penalty taker Sebastien Thill

Set-piece aerial threat Danilo Arboleda

Card magnet Frank Castaneda

Star rating out of five One

Best bet

Real Madrid-Shakhtar Donetsk straight forecast
1pt 10-3 Betfred

Group D preview

Real Madrid, Inter and Shakhtar Donetsk meet in the group stage of the Champions League for the second season running and, once again, it may pay to oppose the men from Milan.

Inter finished bottom of their section last term as Real and Borussia Monchengladbach narrowly denied Shakhtar a place in the last 16.

The Ukrainians will have no inferiority complex in Group D, having taken eight points from four meetings with Real and Inter in 2020-21, and their new coach Roberto De Zerbi was renowned for his fearless attacking approach at Sassuolo.

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi and striker Edin Dzeko are not entirely convincing replacements for title winners Antonio Conte and Romelu Lukaku while Shakhtar have bolstered their squad well over the summer and beat Genk and Monaco in qualifying.

Real were unable to land top target Kylian Mbappe but they could still have a stellar front three with a rejuvenated Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard flanking ultra-consistent striker Karim Benzema.

Carlo Ancelotti's squad is packed with quality and experience and Real reached last season's semis despite a troubled end to Zinedine Zidane's second spell in charge. They are worth backing to lead home Shakhtar with Inter and Moldovan rookies Sheriff missing out.

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