Maybe Inter can take Serie A and the Italian Cup, but it’s hard for me to imagine what kind of draw should be in the playoffs for Inter to reach the Champions League final again. Maybe this year the line-up of contenders is a little weaker than last year (there are no Liverpool and Chelsea), but it’s hard to believe that Inter will be as lucky as last year, and with any strong opponent from the big three, Inter will be an underdog. Even now in the lightweight group they are in second place and all their victories are with a minimum score.
Inter's performance in the Italian Serie A and the Champion League could be a pointer that they still have better quality than last season. They are still tough teams in the UCL but I think Inter has what it takes to still go to the finals. Their journey to the finals last season cannot be seen as just luck but they put in some good effort. Real Sociedad, FC Red Bull Salzburg and S.L. Benfica are not weak teams. Salzburg is topping the Austrian Bundesliga, while Benfica is number one in the Liga Portugal, so Inter should be commended for surviving in Group D.
In the long run, yes, Juventus, having no cups to play, is favored from a physical fitness point of view compared to other teams who have grueling shifts that put the players bodies to the test.
But this is not enough, look at Inter, clearly we will see towards the end of the championship how it is going.
Not playing in any European competition means lesser work schedule for the player which will reduce injuries and fatigue. The Massimiliano Allegri side has greater chances of at least qualifying for the Champions League next season. But sadly Allegri might leave the Turin club at the end of the season because he was not happy seeing Antonio Conte having a possible transfer discussion with Juventus CEO Francesco Calvo. Maybe he has started making plans for the next club he would move to at the end of the season. But I see this development as a betrayal by Juventus after Allegri stood with the club during their trying times meanwhile, he had an option of signing lucrative contracts in other clubs.