Inter coach Rafael Benitez's reputation is constructed on his exploits in Europe both with Valencia and with Liverpool, and tonight the Spaniard will have to see to that he maintains that with the Beneamata. The Italian and European champions are in crisis as they have not won in their last five competitive matches and are a massive nine points off the pace in Serie A.
Even in the Champions League Inter have looked poor of later. On Matchday 4 they went down 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane and are now currently second in Group A with seven points, as many as leaders Spurs have.
A win against Twente at San Siro tonight will see Inter go through to the first knockout stage of Europe's premier club competition but the Italian giants have already lost at home this season and the Dutch champions will know that winning in Milan is not impossible.
Although club supremo Massimo Moratti continues to insists that Benitez will not be sacked, the Spaniard is under tremendous pressure and it is high time that he solves the Nerazzurri's problems. On Matchday 1, Twente held Inter to a 2-2 draw in Enschede and they will be happy with a similar result. Benitez, though, is confident of picking up a win tonight.
"I am sure this is going to be the first in a long series of victories," enthused Benitez. "The players are doing all they can, even if it's a quite tricky situation we are going through. We can still win everything, and when all our players are fit again I think we will do well.
"As always, things depend on us. I have worked in football for 25 years, so I know how things work. I worked with Valencia, Liverpool and now here. I can tell you that these players are united. I'm giving it 100% and the fans know it."
Lofty Dreams Continue To Flourish
Dutch champions Twente were supposed to fight for the runners-up spot in Group A at the start of the Champions League campaign and they are doing pretty much that. Currently stationed in third spot with five points from four matches, the Tukkers will inflate their hopes of qualifying for the first knockout stage with a win in Milan.
Twente have an encouraging record on the road in Europe too as they have won one and lost the other match. With Inter struggling for over a month and losing at San Siro, Michel Preud'homme's side will be emboldened to go for the kill.
However, Twente themselves are not exactly in the best of forms as on Saturday the Reds were defeated 2-1 at home by AZ in the Dutch Eredivisie. It was Twente's second loss in a row in the league and their third without a win, and forced them three points behind leaders PSV.
Nevertheless, Preud'homme says that now is the perfect time to confront Inter and hopes to take advantage of their crisis, but warns, "It is the best possible time to face Inter, but even with so many players missing they are tough opponents and they have a lot of interesting young players.
"They're still a great club. Their coach is under pressure, but we expect to face a good Inter side. We are not having an easy time either – we have lost two games in a row – but that is the league and this is something completely different.
TEAM NEWS
Inter
Cristian Chivu, Diego Milito, Joel Obi, Coutinho, Walter Samuel, Maicon, Sulley Muntari and Julio Cesar are the injured players for the home side and will miss the match. However, key defensive midfielder Esteban Cambiasso is back to full fitness while Thiago Motta has shaken off a knee problem.
Twente
Midfielder Theo Jansson is available again for the Dutch side and he could be slotted into the starting line-up.
Prediction
Inter have been struggling for a while now and this will encourage Twente to go for a win whereas on other occasions the Dutch side would have probably played for a draw. However, the Nerazzurri are likely to pick bag a win on Wednesday night given that they are desperate to repair their current situation and also because Benitez is a master at the European game. But it will be a hard fought and perhaps even scrappy victory.
Inter Milan 1-0 Twente 
