Inter Milan v Tottenham preview: Spurs start Champions League campaign

Tottenham open their Champions League campaign at Inter Milan on Tuesday (kick-off 5.55pm BST), looking to banish the opinion that they lack the steel to win silverware.

Both Dele Alli and Hugo Lloris remain out for Mauricio Pochettino's side, however, having missed Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Liverpool in the Premier League at Wembley.

Pochettino has also left Kieran Trippier and Toby Alderweireld out of his squad "for technical reasons".

Asked if Tripper and Alderweireld were injured, Pochettino said: "It was a technical decision. You can find it in the dictionary, technical decision. Maybe tactical also on the pitch, yes, it's tactical too.

"But it's a technical decision. You cannot bring 25 players and can only play 11 and seven on the bench. That is the reason."

After winning their opening three games of the season, Spurs go to the San Siro having lost the last two, while Inter sit 15th in Serie A with just four points from four games.

Inter Milan coach Luciano Spalletti believes Harry Kane will be the man to watch but hopes the enthusiasm of returning to "the Disneyland of football" will spur on his side.

Against the backdrop of a disastrous start to their domestic campaign, Inter host the English club in Group B at a sold-out San Siro in what is their first Champions League match since the 2011/12 season.

"Harry Kane tired? I don't agree, we have seen Tottenham matches and we have seen him working in any situation. Tottenham rely a lot on this player."

Team news

Alli's hamstring injury keeps him out of the trip to Milan, while captain and goalkeeper Lloris still has a thigh problem.

Midfielder Moussa Sissoko will also be out due to a hamstring injury.

Inter will give a late assessment to defender Danilo D'Ambrosio, but Sime Vrsaljko is out with a knee injury.

Spalletti added: "Some players are not feeling at their best, but we have other options and all that is needed to play this match to the best of our ability."

Opta stats

• This will be the fifth meeting in European competition between Inter Milan and Tottenham, with both sides winning two matches each of the previous four.
• Both Inter Milan and Tottenham have won their two previous home games against the other, with neither side managing to pick up a victory on the road against their counterparts.
• There have been 19 goals scored in the four previous meetings between Inter Milan and Tottenham, with the Italian side netting nine times, compared to Spurs' 10.
• Tottenham last met Inter Milan in the Champions League back during the 2010-11 group stages, losing 3-4 away from home (despite Gareth Bale scoring a hat-trick) and winning 3-1 at home.
• The most recent meeting between Inter Milan and Tottenham came in the 2012-13 UEFA Europa League; with Spurs winning on away goals after the two ties ended 4-4 on aggregate in their last 16 tie.
• After qualifying for the competition for 10 successive years between 2002/03 and 2011/12, Inter Milan will be competing in the Champions League for the first time in seven years, their longest wait since the rebranding of the tournament in 1992/93 (also seven between 92/93 and 98/99).

Charlie's prediction

Inter have started the season brilliantly, I believe they are a club on the up, whereas Tottenham's reputation at the moment is getting a bit tarnished and suddenly you are going from Premier League contenders to danger signs being all over about a lack of investment.

Looking at it currently, Harry Kane is just out of form, he is making the same moves and maybe looks a bit sluggish, but every season at the start of a campaign Kane gets slaughtered for never scoring in August. Then he gets into the routine and scores at Old Trafford and then all of a sudden everybody is saying he is fatigued. He is not fatigued, he and Spurs are not playing well.

Two weeks ago I would have put a banker on Spurs winning this but now there is an uncertainty there. Yes, they have good players, I think they are a better team than Inter but they are a bit timid at the moment, confidence is low so I am going to go for a 1-1 scoreline.

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I am expecting Kane to start, but I am going for Lucas Moura to score first. The way their current form is, I think that is a good result. Barcelona is the one where everyone is going to be pointing the finger at how good or how poor they are and that will take care of itself. Spurs are in a 'one game at a time' situation right now and if they walked away with a draw and a better performance, I think they will be content with that so it would be a half-decent result for them.

Charlie predicts: 1-1 and Moura to score first (35/1 with Sky Bet)