On Tuesday evening, Inter Milan, who have won the European Cup three times, will face Club Brugge, a former finalist, as both teams look to secure their first points in this season's Champions League. This match marks the inaugural competitive encounter between these two renowned blue-and-black teams, with the Nerazzurri hosting the Blauw-Zwart at San Siro. Inter, who finished as runners-up in 2023 and again two years later, had a disappointing league phase last season, ending up in 10th place and suffering an early knockout exit to Bodo/Glimt. In pursuit of improvement for the 2026-27 season, Cristian Chivu's second campaign began similarly to last month, where despite controlling possession against Real Madrid, they lost 2-1 after being caught on the counter. The Nerazzurri have struggled recently in the Champions League, suffering six defeats in their last seven matches, marking a significant downturn in their storied European history. After being eliminated by Bodo last season and faltering in Madrid, Inter now risks setting a club record by losing four straight matches at the highest level of European competition. In contrast, Chivu's squad has returned to form in Serie A, having achieved a league-and-cup double last season. They have only dropped two points thus far, with notable performances including a thrilling five-goal match against Napoli, a remarkable comeback against Udinese, a tough draw with Scudetto challengers Roma, and a 3-0 victory over Parma on Saturday. Now, the Milan giants need to translate their domestic success onto the Champions League stage, where they faced three defeats at San Siro last season.