Inter enter a crucial Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund needing a strong win to revive their top-eight push. Cristian Chivu’s side sit 14th in the 36-team table, one point short of automatic qualification for the last 16, and arrive in Germany after three straight defeats in the competition.
The Serie A leaders travel to Westfalenstadion on Wednesday under pressure to respond. Inter had opened their European campaign with four straight victories, yet defeats against Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal dragged the team back into the group chasing qualification, rather than leading it.
Across their last 27 Champions League fixtures, Inter have suffered only three losses, with 18 wins and six draws, before this current slump. They have never
previously been beaten in four successive games in UEFA’s main competition, so another setback against Borussia Dortmund would mark an unwanted first.
Dortmund carry a strong home record into this meeting. The Bundesliga club have lost only once in their last 21 Champions League home matches, winning 13 and drawing seven. That consistency highlights the size of Inter’s task, especially with Chivu asking for a dominant display rather than a cautious approach.
| Team | Recent Champions League run | Wins | Draws | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inter | Last 7 matches | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Borussia Dortmund | Last 21 home matches | 13 | 7 | 1 |
Historically, meetings between these clubs have often produced goals. Borussia Dortmund and Inter have met six times in European competition, with Inter winning three, Dortmund taking two victories and one game ending level. In Germany, Dortmund’s home record against Inter shows one win, one draw and one defeat, with those matches averaging 4.3 goals.
Across those three previous games in Dortmund, the hosts have scored six times, while Inter have found the net seven times. That attacking pattern offers hope for both forward lines, even as the visitors try to tighten up after their recent losses, and the hosts aim to defend their impressive home sequence.
Inter’s recent slide follows an excellent start to this season’s Champions League group phase. The Nerazzurri won their first four fixtures and looked well placed near the top positions. Only after that run did the defeats against Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal pull them down towards the qualification border.
Such swings have been rare in competition history. Only Anderlecht in 2000-01 and Paris Saint-Germain between September 2017 and September 2018 have previously recorded four consecutive wins and then four straight defeats in the same Champions League campaign, a pattern Inter now seek to avoid matching.
We will have the same mentality as always, stepping onto the pitch to win and to be dominant, then at the final whistle we'll see where we are, Chivu told Sky Sport Italia. Borussia Dortmund have a strong tradition in Europe, being one of the top teams, and there are frankly few opponents that manage to win in this stadium. We'll try to do our best to bring home the result.
Ready for takeoffpic.twitter.com/vovL0ZpHaMInter(@Inter_en) January 27, 2026
This is a different competition to Serie A, and we are a bitbehind,Chivu added. We had initially been doing better than expectations, then made life difficult for ourselves and the situation now is not ideal. Now we want to put in a great performance to bring home the results that weve been lacking recently.
Inter vs Borussia Dortmund Champions League team news and selection
Chivu faces key selection problems for the match in Dortmund. Midfielder Nicolo Barella has remained in Italy after a muscle injury. Forward Lautaro Martinez may begin among the substitutes, with Inter needing to balance the risk of suspension and the player’s workload during a busy schedule.
Martinez is one booking away from a ban in the competition, adding another factor to Chivu’s planning. We don't have time to make these kinds of calculations, as we play so often. We'll try to pick the best possible line-up. Does that mean Lautaro will start? I don't know, he said.
The trip to Borussia Dortmund arrives with Inter slightly behind their Champions League targets yet still close to the top eight. A positive result at Westfalenstadion would end their losing run, protect their historical record in the competition and keep Chivu’s team firmly in contention for a last-16 place.
