Minnows Monza will be keen to add another Serie A scalp to their tally when they take on Inter Milan at the Brianteo Stadium on Saturday.
Newly promoted Monza will be keen to further highlight their prowess when they welcome Inter Milan to the Brianteo Stadium for the late Serie A kick-off on Saturday night.
Raffaele Palladino’s side picked up just one point from their opening six games in Serie A this season. It was a difficult start to life in their first top-flight campaign, and the club appeared destined for the drop.
However, a stunning 1-0 win over Juventus at home proved to be a tipping point for the minnows. A return of 13 points from the next nine games sees the club sit in the 16th spot, eight points off the relegation zone.
Inter Milan have proven themselves privy to a surprise or two and have largely been inconsistent this season. However, a 1-0 win over league leaders Napoli might prove to be just the shot in the arm that Simone Inzaghi was looking for.
The Nerazzurri now have something to build upon and could yet make a late punt for the title. They go into the weekend’s clash as favourites and will be expected to come away with all three points. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both teams could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Monza
⚽️⚪️🔴 AC Monza comunica che la Biglietteria Sud dell'U-Power Stadium sarà aperta per la vendita dei biglietti di #MonzaInter nei seguenti giorni:
– Venerdì 6 gennaio dalle ore 10.00 alle ore 18.00
– Sabato 7 gennaio dalle ore 14.00 alle ore 20.30 🎟 #ACMonza #Monza #SerieATIM pic.twitter.com/5GEx8reuSg— AC Monza (@ACMonza) January 6, 2023
The minnows stunned the football world when they defeated Juventus and will hope that lightning strikes twice when they welcome the Nerazzurri on Saturday. They will be without on-loan Inter veteran Stefano Sensi who is out with an ankle injury. Midfield ace Nicolo Rovella is also a doubt for the game and faces a race against time to be fit. Monza have an otherwise full-strength squad to choose from.
It is not all bad news as Arsenal loanee Pablo Mari is back available following his stabbing last year. While it is debatable if he will be thrust straight into the starting lineup, his return will offer Raffaele Palladino more options.
Monza are likely to deploy in a 3-4-2-1 formation that can theoretically keep up with Inter’s 3-5-2- formation. The numbers in midfield could prove to be decisive and help decide the outcome of the game. The formation also offers the home side enough flexibility to deploy into a 5-4-1 while defending.
Michele Di Gregorio should start in goal behind the back three of Marlon, Pablo Mari and Armando Izzo. Patrick Ciurria and Carlos Augusto will provide the width, while Matteo Pessina and Filippo Ranocchia will start in central midfield.
Andrea Colpani and Gianluca Caprari will function as the creators in chief, fashioning opportunities and threading the ball forward for Dany Mota to take advantage of.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Marlon, Mari, Izzo; Ciurria, Pessina, Ranocchia, Augusto; Colpani, Caprari; Mota
Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi’s side will have their tails up following the win over Napoli and will be keen to push on in the coming weeks. Just two points separate them from the second spot and there is no better time than now for the Nerazzurri to discover their purple patch.
The defence, however, remains an issue and Inter are currently on a run where they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 12 away games in Serie A. This is their worst such run since the 1980s. As long as the rearguard keeps its shape, there is every chance that Inzaghi and co can steadily challenge Napoli in due course.
Inter welcomed back World Cup winner Lautaro Martinez last time out against Napoli. With games coming thick and fast, he remains in contention to partner Romelu Lukaku in the attack. Midfield maestro Marcelo Brozovic is the only major absentee on the night as Inter have an otherwise full roster to call upon.
All smiles back at base 😁#ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/7ywyAXXihp
— Inter (@Inter_en) January 5, 2023
Inzaghi is set to continue with his trademark 3-5-2 formation, and there will be little deviation from his trademark tactics. Andre Onana should start in goal behind the back three of Milan Skriniar, Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni.
Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco will offer width as the full-backs, with Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan holding the fort in the middle of the park. Edin Dzeko has scored two braces in the last four away games and should keep his spot alongside Lukaku. Martinez is likely to start on the bench and come on, sometime in the second half.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Onana; Skriniar, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Dzeko, Lukaku
Key Stats
- Inter Milan have found the back of the net 35 times in Serie A this season, only behind league leaders Napoli in the scoring charts.
- Inter Milan have conceded 22 goals this season, the most of any side in the Serie A top 10.
- Inter Milan are unbeaten in their last 25 games against newly promoted sides.
- A win on the night will see Inter Milan secure a win over their 68th top-division side in Serie A. It will equal the tally set by AS Roma.
- Inter Milan have failed to win 12 of their last 16 games away to teams from Lombardy in Serie A. Eight games have ended in draws.
- A win on the night will see Monza win three home games in a row for the first time in Serie A.
Player to Watch
Hakan Calhanoglu
With Marcelo Brozovic unavailable, Calhanoglu will be the lynchpin of the Inter midfield on the night. His passing range and ability to get out of tight pockets should come in handy against a Monza side that is likely to flood the middle of the park to gain numerical superiority.
Should Calhanoglu hold the fort, the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicolo Barella will have better joy going forward. The Turkish international is also an adept set-piece taker, adding another dimension to the Inter offence.
Prediction
Monza 1-2 Inter Milan
Monza will give it their all and could make life difficult for Inter on the night. However, the Nerazzurri have superior quality both in the first XI and also off the bench, giving them a huge advantage.
Simon Inzaghi’s men will be keen to not lose any more ground to the top of the table and keep their winning run going heading into the Supercoppa Italiana against AC Milan later this month. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the visitors.
