Stankovic could start against Brugge as Inter chase first Champions League points

Aleksandar Stankovic may get his first Champions League start for Inter against the club where he won the Belgian league and was named best young player. For Cristian Chivu, the possible selection is both a reunion story and a chance to rotate midfield after Inter’s 3-0 win over Parma.

Inter and Club Brugge both lost their opening league-phase games, leaving each side on zero points. That gives the match early weight: Inter need a result to get their campaign moving, while Chivu is weighing five or six changes from the Parma team.

Stankovic is being considered for the holding role, with Hakan Calhanoglu available again after a knee problem but potentially rested as Inter manage the schedule. Nicolò Barella and Piotr Zielinski are also expected back in midfield. The potential start would put Stankovic directly up against his former club, which sold him to Inter for around €10 million before the Nerazzurri bought him back a year later for €23 million.

There could be changes elsewhere, too. Manuel Akanji and Alessandro Bastoni are expected to return in defence, with Yann Bisseck shifting to the right. Captain Lautaro Martinez could come back to partner Marcus Thuram in attack.

That pairing brings its own milestones. Lautaro has 25 Champions League goals but has gone six appearances without scoring; his last came against Kairat Almaty on November 5, 2025. Thuram has nine in the competition and would reach 10 with a goal. Brugge also have a former Inter player in goal: Yann Sommer.

Inter arrive with strong domestic results, leading Serie A with 16 points from six games and still unbeaten. Rotation has to balance that momentum with the need to collect points in Europe. After Brugge, Inter travel to Bologna on Saturday, October 17. A Stankovic start would give Chivu another look at a midfielder who knows the Belgian side, while keeping Calhanoglu fresh for a demanding run of fixtures.