Inter vs. Club Brugge: previous meetings and key facts

Inter’s first home game of the 2026/27 Champions League campaign is drawing ever closer, with the Nerazzurri set to host Club Brugge at San Siro on Tuesday 13 October at 21:00 on Matchday 2 of the league phase. It will be a first in competitive football, as Inter and Club Brugge have never previously met in an official fixture. The two sides have, however, faced each other twice in friendlies, both in 1981. Tuesday’s meeting will add another chapter to Inter’s history against Belgian opposition, following last season’s Champions League trip to Union Saint-Gilloise. The game will also carry added significance for two players who have worn both sets of blue and black: Yann Sommer, now in goal for Club Brugge after three seasons with Inter, and Aleksandar Stankovic, who made his First Team debut for the Nerazzurri this season after an impressive year in Belgium.

Ahead of the clash at San Siro, here is a look at the previous meetings, key facts and connections between Inter and Club Brugge.

CLUB BRUGGE'S FORM

One of Belgian football’s biggest clubs, Club Brugge won their 20th league title last season, adding to a trophy cabinet that also includes 12 Belgian Cups and 18 Super Cups. They head to San Siro on the back of a 4-1 away win over RAAL La Louvière, their seventh victory in eight Pro League matches. The reigning Belgian champions currently sit second in the table on 21 points, one behind leaders Gent. Their Champions League campaign began with a 3-2 home defeat to Aston Villa. Ivan Leko’s side showed plenty of quality and personality going forward, but also allowed their opponents too much space and too many chances. Domestically, however, Club Brugge have now won four in a row, with Vetlesen, Virgili, Tresoldi and Lemarechal all on target in their latest victory – the perfect way to build momentum ahead of their trip to San Siro to face the Italian champions.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Inter and Club Brugge have never met in a competitive fixture, although the two sides have faced each other twice before. Both meetings came in the summer of 1981, during the Kirin Cup in Japan. The friendly tournament was held from 31 May to 10 June and featured six teams: Inter, Club Brugge, Everton, Mitsubishi, Japan and China. The two Nerazzurri sides met twice over the course of the competition, on 4 and 10 June.

The first meeting, in the group stage, took place in Tokyo on 4 June and finished 0-0, a result that sent both sides through to the next round, with Club Brugge advancing as group winners thanks to a superior goal difference. Inter and Club Brugge then met again in the final on 10 June. Eugenio Bersellini’s Nerazzurri were beaten 2-0 at Tokyo’s National Stadium, with goals from Maes in the 14th minute and Sorensen in the 86th deciding the contest.The two clubs have not faced each other since. That will change on Tuesday 13 October at San Siro, when they meet for the first time in a competitive fixture.

Tokyo (Japan), 4 June 1981 Inter 0-0 Club Brugge

Inter: Cipollini, Pancheri, Baresi, Mozzini, Bini (Canuti), Pasinato, Prohaska (Beccalossi), Fontanini, Caso, Ambu, Muraro. Coach: Bersellini

Club Brugge: Jensen, Ranson, Maes, Bastijns, Verhoosel, Leekens, Sorensen, Vandereycken, Dedougnoux, Filipovic, Maes. Coach: Gress

Tokyo (Japan), 10 June 1981 – Final Inter 0-2 Club Brugge

Goals: 14' Bart, 86' Borenson

Inter: Bordon, Canuti, Baresi, Tempestilli, Mozzini (Ambu), Bini, Oriali, Prohaska, Altobelli, Marini (Pasinato), Beccalossi. Coach: Bersellini

Club Brugge: Jensen, Bastijns, Leekens, Maes, Debougnoux, Meeeuws, Sorenson, Vandereuchken, Filipovic, Verhoosel, Maes. Coach: Gress

INTER AGAINST BELGIAN OPPOSITION

Club Brugge will become the fifth Belgian side Inter have faced in UEFA competition, after Standard Liège, Beveren, Anderlecht and Union Saint-Gilloise. Overall, the Nerazzurri have won five of those meetings, including each of the last four. Last season, Chivu’s side recorded a 4-0 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise at the RSC Anderlecht Stadium in Brussels, with goals from Dumfries, Lautaro, Calhanoglu and Esposito.

PLAYERS TO HAVE REPRESENTED BOTH CLUBS

Five players have represented both Inter and Club Brugge during their careers, and two of them are set to cross paths at San Siro. Club Brugge’s current goalkeeper is Yann Sommer, who spent three seasons with Inter and won two Scudetti with the Nerazzurri. The Swiss shot-stopper joined the Belgian club this summer after a memorable spell in Milan. Aleksandar Stankovic made the opposite journey. The 2005-born midfielder spent last season with Club Brugge, making 54 appearances and scoring nine goals. He also featured 14 times in the Champions League, scoring three goals.

The other three players to have represented both Inter and Club Brugge are Ivan Perisic, Tajon Buchanan and Khalilou Fadiga. Perisic first made his mark in European football with Club Brugge between 2009 and 2011, making 89 appearances and scoring 35 goals. He later had two spells with Inter, the first from 2015 to 2019 and the second from 2020 to 2022. During his time with the Nerazzurri, the Croatian won one Scudetto, one Coppa Italia and one Supercoppa Italiana, making 254 appearances and scoring 55 goals in total.

Buchanan played for Club Brugge from 2021 to 2024 before moving to Milan in January 2024. He made 17 appearances for Inter and scored once, against Frosinone, while also helping the Nerazzurri win the Second Star Scudetto.

Fadiga represented Club Brugge between 1997 and 2000, making 96 appearances and scoring 21 goals. He joined Inter in 2003 but did not make an official appearance for the Nerazzurri.

INTER CLUB BRUGGE, ARBITRO E SITUAZIONE DISCIPLINARE

DIFFIDATI Inter: - Club Brugge: -

SQUALIFICATI Inter: - Club Brugge: -

Arbitro: Rohit Saggi (NOR) Assistenti: Olav Dale - Haukåsen (NOR) IV Ufficiale: Kringstad (NOR) VAR: del Cerro Grande (ESP) AVAR: Soto Grado (ESP)

INTER VS. CLUB BRUGGE: WHERE TO WATCH ON TV

Inter vs. Club Brugge, valid for Matchday 2 of the 2026/27 Champions League league phase, will take place at San Siro on Tuesday 13 October at 21:00 and will be shown exclusively on Sky and NOW, with live streaming available via Sky Go and NOW.

UPDATES ON INTER TV

As always, Inter TV will provide pre-match updates and live coverage, with all the latest from San Siro in the build-up to kick-off. Our Inter vs. Club Brugge pre-match Livematch will be live from 19:30 and will also be available on the Club’s official YouTube channel until 20:45.

After the final whistle, Inter TV will bring you post-match analysis and interviews.