Serie A – Match Preview – Inter Milan vs Juventus

Serie A – Match Preview – Inter Milan vs Juventus

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Second-place Inter Milan and champions Juventus square off in a keenly anticipated derby at the San Siro.

Undoubtedly the box office fixture of the Serie A round, Inter entertain Juve at the Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday in what is expected to be a captivating Derby d’Italia.

The two sides come into the clash in contrasting forms, with Roberto Mancini’s charges getting off to a bright start, winning their opening five games, yet faltering as of late with a thumping home loss to Fiorentina and a 1-1 draw to Sampdoria. The Bianconeri, meanwhile, are beginning to pick up pace on all fronts, consigning both Sevilla and Bologna to defeat, following a tumultuous beginning to their league campaign.

The weekend’s encounter promises to provide action and drama aplenty in what could be a crucial six-pointer so early on in the season.

Key Battle – Geoffrey Kondogbia vs Paul Pogba

In a clash where the better collective performance in midfield could see their respective side come out on top, the 22-year-old French midfielders pit up against each other in what could prove to be the pivotal contest in this fixture.

Both plying their trade in midfields that have not been creating much in the league this season, their work in the centre of the park will be of extreme importance, whether it’s Pogba’s deft touches and ferocious shots from distance, or Kondogbia’s abrasive defensive contributions and bursting runs from deep.

This upcoming Derby d’Italia certainly is one that could be won and lost in midfield, and following the sales of Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal for Juve as well as Mateo Kovacic for the Nerazzurri, the aforementioned pair carry a monumental burden and could be central figures at the San Siro this weekend.

Team News

Massimiliano Allegri’s side is likely to see more changes made to it than Mancini’s, with one player (Stephan Lichsteiner) out of the clash indefinitely through injury and seven others pending late fitness tests. Inter, meanwhile, have one out with injury (Nemanja Vidic) and three more also pending late fitness tests.

Mario Mandzukic, Martín Cáceres, Álvaro Morata, Pogba, Stefano Sturaro, Roberto Pereyra and Claudio Marchisio are all hopeful of making Juve’s starting XI, whereas Davide Santon, Kondogbia and Felipe Melo will all battle their respective injury woes in the hope of starting for Inter on the weekend.

Sunday’s clash could also see the return of influential centre-back João Miranda, livewire Stevan Jovetic and Brazilian defender Juan Jesus return to the Nerazzurri starting XI, with the former having served his one match suspension for a red card against Fiorentina, and the latter pair overcoming their latest injuries.

If passed fit, Cáceres would also be returning to the squad following a ban – this one internal and due to a drink-driving charge.

Expected Lineups

Expected Inter XI (4-3-1-2): Handanovic (GK); Santon, Miranda, Murillo, Juan; Guarín, Melo, Kondogbia; Perišic; Jovetic, Icardi

Expected Juventus XI (3-5-2): Buffon (GK); Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Cuadrado, Khedira, Hernanes, Pogba, Evra; Dybala, Morata

Head-To-Head

April 2010 was the last time Inter managed to defeat the Old Lady (2-0) at home, with a Maicon wonderstrike the highlight of the match. Now in October 2015, Internazionale have a five match winless streak against Juventus at the San Siro to their name.

Previous Meeting

The last encounter between the two sides saw an entertaining 2-1 away win in favour of the Bianconeri.

Mauro Icardi put Inter ahead on the day, though Marchisio cancelled out the opener from the spot, whilst Morata forced a rare error from Samir Handanovic in goal to net the winner.

Inter Milan were unlucky not to receive a share of the points on the day, with it turning out to be a vital point lost as the club failed to qualify for the Europa League at the hands of Siniša Mihajlovic’s Sampdoria side, with a solitary point being the difference between the two clubs. Juventus, at that stage, had already sewn up their fourth consecutive Scudetto.

Prediction

It is likely to be a cagey affair battled out in the midfield, with the two sides failing to create more opportunities than imagined for squads boasting such large arrays of talent. Individual quality may see one of the two sides over the line in this clash.

With two fine goalkeepers between the sticks for the clubs, though, as well as two stringent defences (Juventus have not been so in the league as of yet but are renowned for this), it may not be such a high-scoring contest, and with players returning from injury and having to pass late fitness tests, both sides may not be at 100% for this clash.

Inter Milan 1 Juventus 1

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