epa10831240 The UEFA Champions League trophy is on display during the UEFA European Club Football Season Kick-Off event in Monaco, 31 August 2023. The event sees the UEFA Champions League group stage draw, as well as the UEFA Awards ceremony to honour the men and women Player of the Year, the men and women Coaches of the Year, and to present the UEFA President’s Award. EPA-EFE/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO

Kristjan Asllani is expected to replace Hakan Calhanoglu in Inter’s midfield against Real Sociedad, while Natan could start on Napoli’s bench again with Juan Jesus and Amir Rrahmani in central defence against Braga.

Both games kick off at 20:00 BST.

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter visit Real Sociedad, while Napoli meet Braga in Portugal.

The Nerazzurri are without the injured Juan Cuadrado and Calhanoglu, plus Stefano Sensi who has not been included in their Champions League list.

Asllani will likely replace Calhanoglu, completing Inter’s midfield with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicolò Barella. Alessandro Bastoni is favourite over Francesco Acerbi at centre-back, while Benjamin Pavard should make his debut with the Nerazzurri.

Napoli, on the other hand, can rely on a full team, except Diego Demme, and Rudi Garcia is expected to start Rrahmani and Juan Jesus in central defence. This means new signing Natan would start on the bench again.

Matteo Politano is favourite over Jesper Lindstrøm on the left wing and the same is true of André Zambo Anguissa who will likely get the nod in central midfield, initially leaving Jens Cajuste on the bench.

Probable line-ups

Real Sociedad-Inter

Real Sociedad (4-3-3): Remiro; Traoré, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Munoz; Merino, Zubimendi, Mendez; Kubo, Oyarzabal, Barrenetxea.

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro.

Braga-Napoli

Braga (4-2-3-1): Matheus; Gomez, José Fonte, Niakaté, Marin; Vitor Carvalho, Al-Musrati; R. Horta, Pizzi, Bruma, Abel Ruiz.

Napoli (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Mario Rui; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia. 

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