Borussia Dortmund vs Inter Milan Prediction 28.01.2026 | UEFA Champions League

After a blistering start to their Champions League campaign, collecting seven points from the opening three fixtures, Borussia Dortmund have since seen their European momentum stall, managing just four points from their subsequent four outings.

Currently positioned 16th in the overall league standings and still firmly in the mix for a knockout-phase playoff berth, BVB are well aware that victory on Wednesday is crucial if they are to avoid the added strain of a last-16 playoff tie in an already congested fixture schedule.

Their most recent Champions League appearance ended in disappointment, as Tottenham handed them a comprehensive 2-0 defeat in London. However, Niko Kovac’s side responded in emphatic fashion on the domestic front, cruising to a 3-0 away victory over Union Berlin. That result not only extended their unbeaten Bundesliga run to twelve matches (W8 D4), but also cutting the gap to league leaders Bayern Munich to eight points.

In terms of team news, experienced midfielder Marcel Sabitzer is expected to miss out due to a calf injury, while defensive midfielder Daniel Svensson is suspended for the final match of the Champions League league phase after receiving a red card against Tottenham last week.

Inter Milan launched their Champions League campaign in emphatic fashion, winning four of their opening four fixtures, but their momentum on Europe’s biggest stage has since unraveled dramatically. Consecutive defeats to Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, followed by another setback against Arsenal last time out, have halted their continental charge.

Those reversals have left the Nerazzurri in need of points to secure automatic qualification for the round of 16 and avoid a potentially hazardous playoff round. Encouragingly, they travel with renewed belief drawn from their recent away form, having pieced together a five-match winning streak on the road since their collapse against Atletico Madrid in late November.

Inter head into this demanding trip to Germany buoyed by their scintillating domestic form. Cristian Chivu’s men have stretched their lead at the top of the Serie A table to five points over arch-rivals AC Milan, following a stunning 6-2 comeback victory over Pisa last Friday — their 12th win in the last 14 league outings.

However, Inter’s defensive solidity in Europe — having conceded seven goals in seven Champions League matches — will come under intense scrutiny, particularly in the absence of key injured figures such as Hakan Calhanoglu, Tomas Palacios, and Denzel Dumfries, all of whom have been ruled out.