Inter, the finalists of the previous Champions League, will start their group stage campaign with a match against Ajax in Amsterdam. This encounter marks not only the beginning of their European journey but also a decisive moment for manager Cristian Chivu, who faces a side where his professional career kicked off.

Chivu’s past includes stints at AS Roma and Inter, during which he achieved a Champions League triumph in 2010 under Jose Mourinho. Currently, however, he grapples with mounting pressure after two consecutive defeats in Serie A against Udinese at home and an astonishing 4-3 loss against Juventus last weekend.

The current Ajax team is led by John Heitinga, who was previously an assistant under Arne Slot. It remains essential for Chivu to rebound quickly, as Inter’s poor performance could heighten pressures regarding his future. Notably, Inter’s captain Lautaro Martinez did not participate in a training session earlier this week and may start on the bench for this match.

Match Details

• Date: Wednesday, September 17
• Time: 3 p.m. ET
• Location: Amsterdam ArenA, Netherlands
• Live Stream: Paramount+
• Odds: Ajax +313; Draw +280; Inter -125

Goalkeeper Situation

Yann Sommer, who received significant critique for his performance against Juventus, remains backed by Chivu, suggesting no changes will be made to the starting lineup as he believes it is essential to support troubled players.

Predicted Lineups

Ajax XI: Vitezslav Jaros; Anton Gaaei, Ko Itakura, Youri Baas, Owen Wijndal; Davy Klaassen, Kenneth Taylor; Youri Regeer, Steven Berghuis, Wout Weghorst; Mika Godts.

Inter XI: Yann Sommer; Manuel Akanji, Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Petar Sucic, Federico Dimarco; Marcus Thuram, Yann Bonny.

Predictions

This early clash of the Champions League could pose challenges for Inter as they look to stabilize their season after a troublesome start. Prediction: Ajax 1, Inter 1.

How to Watch Champions League

The initial matches of the league phase will be available on Paramount+. Pre-match coverage commences at 12 p.m. ET on the CBS Sports Network every matchday.