Serie A powerhouse Inter Milan and Premier League giants Arsenal will lock horns on Matchday 4 of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season. The two teams have met only two times in the competition’s history, with both matches coming in the group stage of the 2003-24 season. The Gunners suffered a 3-0 defeat at home in their first meeting, but came up with an emphatic reply at San Siro, beating the Nerazzurri 5-1 in front of their supporters.
Over the years, only nine players have had the good fortune of representing both of these great clubs. Ahead of their third Champions League meeting on Wednesday (November 6), we will take a quick look at the top five players who made the most impact. Let’s begin!
#5 Lukas Podolski
Kicking off the list is former Germany international Lukas Podolski, having spent half a season on loan at Inter Milan during his time with Arsenal. Podolski joined Arsenal from FC Koln in the summer of 2012. The center-forward spent the following two-and-a-half seasons in North London before joining Inter on a half-a-season loan. In the second half of the 2014-15 season, he played 18 games in all tournaments, scoring once and providing four assists.
Podolski returned to Arsenal at the end of June before leaving for Galatasaray in the second week of April. Podolski had a brief but impactful run at Arsenal. He played 82 games for the North Londoners in all competitions, scoring 32 goals and providing 15 assists. He helped the club to one FA Cup and one FA Community Shield.
#4 Henrikh Mkhitaryan
In January 2018, Henrikh Mkhitaryan left Manchester United for Premier League aspirants Arsenal. He quickly made himself useful, scoring two goals and providing four assists in 11 league appearances. The following season, he appeared in 39 games, scoring six goals and claiming seven assists. The Gunners, however, did not feel he was the perfect man to lead their midfield and shipped him off to AS Roma in September 2019. The following season, the former Armenia international joined Roma on a permanent deal.
After two fine seasons at Roma, Mkhitaryan joined Inter Milan. A regular in the starting XI, Mkhitaryan has played 109 games in all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing 14 assists. Mkhitaryan will be eager to make a solid impact against his old club this week.
#3 Dennis Bergkamp
Before becoming an Arsenal legend, Dennis Bergkamp had a fine two-season stay at Serie A side Inter Milan between July 1993 and July 1995. During his time at San Siro, Bergkamp played 72 games in all competitions, scoring 22 goals, providing 11 assists, and winning the UEFA Cup in 1993-94.
In the summer of 1995, Bergkamp joined Arsenal, and the rest, as they say, is history. He spent the following 11 seasons at the club, leading up to his retirement in 2006. The Dutch icon played 422 games for the Premier League side, scoring 120 goals and providing 112 assists. Known for his intelligence on the ball, impeccable distribution skills, and sensational finishing, Bergkamp helped the Gunners win three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and three FA Community Shields. He scored four goals and provided seven assists in 28 games as Arsenal won the 2003-04 Premier League title without losing a single game.
#2 Alexis Sanchez
Chile legend Alexis Sanchez joined Arsenal from Barcelona in July 2014. Under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger, Sanchez became one of the finest forwards in the division, scoring goals and providing assists for fun. Sanchez played 166 games for the Gunners across three-and-a-half seasons, netting 80 goals and providing 44 assists. Despite his efforts, Arsenal failed to win the Premier League title. Sanchez won two FA Cups and three FA Community Shields at the Emirates Stadium.
Sanchez had a horrendous one-and-a-half-year spell at Manchester United before he moved to Inter Milan, initially on loan and then, on a permanent deal. The 35-year-old helped Inter to two Serie A titles and one Coppa Italia before his switch to Udinese earlier this year. Sanchez played 142 games for the club in all competitions, scoring 24 times and providing 28 assists.
#1 Patrick Vieira
At the summit sits Patrick Vieira — one of the finest defensive midfielders in the history of the game. His journey to greatness accelerated in August 1996 as he joined Arsenal from AC Milan. The Frenchman quickly became the team’s leader, with then-manager Arsene Wenger giving him the authority of the dressing room. Under Vieira, the Gunners became a solid, formidable unit, capable of going toe-to-toe with any team in the world. Before leaving the Gunners at the end of the 2004-05 season, Vieira won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups, among other honors. He played 405 games, scoring 32 goals and providing 50 assists.
After a brief stay at Juventus, Vieira moved to Inter Milan in the summer of 2006. He had a hard time with injuries during his stay but tried his best to contribute whenever called upon. Before his switch to Manchester City in January 2010, Vieira scored nine goals and provided nine assists in 91 games. He helped the team to four consecutive Serie A titles and one Coppa Italia.
