Inter Milan are a difficult opponent: Matthijs de Ligt ahead of epic UEFA Champions League clash

Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt (centre) trains with his teammates at Munich yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Ahead of tonight's Champions League clash with Inter Milan, Bayern's former Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt, who played three seasons in Serie A including Inter's championship year, is wary of the Italian giants.

"Inter are a difficult opponent. They have a team with a lot of experience and physically very strong players. They always play the same way, in a 3-5-2 system," said de Ligt.

Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann has blamed a lack of energy for his side's stuttering Bundesliga form, bristling at suggestions the six-time Champions League winners are missing departed striker Robert Lewandowski.

After an explosive start to the season which saw them score 20 goals in their opening four competitive matches, two consecutive 1-1 draws against Borussia Moenchengladbach and Union Berlin see Bayern occupy an unfamiliar third spot in the table.

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Bayern remain overwhelming favourites to win their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title this season, but the Champions League remains their true yardstick, after a disappointing quarter-final exit to Villarreal last season.

While Lewandowski's replacement Sadio Mane has scored three goals in five Bundesliga matches since arriving in the summer, Nagelsmann said his side were lacking "energy" rather than the departed Pole and drew both games despite a "proliferation" of chances.

"Our energy level needs to be the same as before," Nagelsmann said in reference to his team's draw in the German capital. "We were not 100 percent awake in our heads in certain situations. Against Gladbach we had 31 shots on goal - I think that's creative enough. How many goals have we scored? [Our goal difference] is plus 14, I think," added Nagelsmann.

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