Inter Recall Key Starters for Club Brugge Champions League Clash

Inter Milan have recalled Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram and Hakan Calhanoglu to the starting lineup for their UEFA Champions League meeting with Club Brugge at San Siro. The match kicks off at 20:00 UK time (21:00 CEST), with Inter seeking their first points in the 2026-27 competition after losing 2-1 to Real Madrid.

According to Football Italia, Inter have also restored Nicolò Barella, Piotr Zielinski, Manuel Akanji and Alessandro Bastoni to the starting eleven after rotating their squad for a 3-0 Serie A victory over Parma. Calhanoglu and Federico Dimarco have recovered from their respective fitness concerns and are both included from the start.

Inter's selection reflects the importance of improving their performance after individual mistakes contributed to the defeat against Real Madrid. Curtis Jones and John Stones are unavailable because of injuries, according to Football Italia.

The confirmed Inter starting lineup is J Martinez in goal, with Bisseck, Akanji and Bastoni in defense. Diouf, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski and Dimarco form the midfield, while Lautaro Martinez and Thuram lead the attack.

Inter's substitutes are Di Gennaro, Provedel, Stankovic, Sucic, Luis Henrique, Bonny, Mkhitaryan, Pavard, Carlos Augusto, Bovio, Pio Esposito and Spence.

Club Brugge have several players with connections to Inter or Italian football. Aleksandar Stankovic, who won the Belgian title with Brugge last season, is still waiting for an opportunity to establish himself in Inter's first team. Former Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer is also with the Belgian club.

Sommer's recent European appearance came in Club Brugge's 3-2 Champions League defeat to Aston Villa, a match in which Football Italia described his performance as uncertain.

Another notable figure in the Brugge squad is Nicolò Tresoldi, the 22-year-old forward who was born in Italy and moved to Germany as a child. He has yet to decide which national team he will represent at senior level and has scored six goals in 10 appearances this season, according to Football Italia.

Club Brugge will be without Joel Ordonez for an extended period because of a fractured metatarsal in his foot. Carlos Forbs is also struggling with muscular problems, leaving his availability in doubt ahead of the match.