Inter Milan will hope to strengthen their grip on the top spot in the Serie A standings when they welcome Hellas Verona to San Siro on Saturday.
The first half of the 2023/24 Serie A season will end this week, with Matchday 19 kicking off on Friday. The action on Saturday will begin at San Siro, where the table-topping Inter Milan hosting Hellas Verona in the morning fixture.
Inter Milan came into the 2023/24 season after finishing third in Serie A and reaching the UEFA Champions League final last term. They have stepped up in the new campaign, zooming to the top of the table, two points ahead of Juventus. The only setback for the Nerazzurri has come in the Coppa Italia, with the 2-1 defeat to Bologna being the only loss they have suffered in 19 games.
As for Hellas Verona, the Mastiffs are in the relegation dogfight, ahead of 18th-placed Cagliari on only goal difference and rock-bottom Salernitana by only two points. Marco Baroni’s men have won only one of their last 17 games across all competitions dating back to August. So, it is hardly surprising they are around the drop zone.
The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 1-0 win for Inter Milan, with Lautaro Martinez scoring the only goal. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Hellas Verona on Saturday, the Inter Milan manager will be bereft of the services of only one first-team player.
Juan Cuadrado is the only absentee for Inter Milan against Hellas Verona, with the Colombian wide-man recovering from an Achilles injury. But the good news is that Lautaro Martinez and Federico Dimarco are in contention to return after resuming training this week.
In addition, Benjamin Pavard might also be available after recovering from a knee injury. Meanwhile, Tajon Buchanan, who will soon complete a move to Inter Milan, will likely be ready to feature for Inter Milan next week.
Martinez should return to the starting eleven on Saturday, joining Marcus Thuram in the offensive pairing. Meanwhile, Dimarco will feature as the left wing-back, with Matteo Darmian likely featuring on the right flank.
Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan will form the midfield trifecta, with the trio forming a fluid and creative partnership in the middle of the park. As for the central defensive unit, there is no looking past Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, and Alessandro Bastoni. Finally, Yann Sommer will take his spot between the sticks.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Hellas Verona
Unlike his counterpart in the Inter Milan dugout, Marco Baroni has no issues to deal with ahead of the trip to San Siro. The Hellas Verona manager will have a full-strength squad for this weekend’s Serie A fixture.
Lorenzo Montipo will take his spot between the sticks, with Hellas Verona lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. Giangiacomo Magnani and Pawel Dawidowicz will form the central defensive pairing, with Jackson Tchatchoua and Josh Doig being the two full-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Ondrej Duda and Michael Folorunsho will pair up in the double pivot. The duo will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park while initiating quick transitions. Tomas Suslov will reprise the no. 10 role, looking to pull the strings in the final third.
Milan Djuric will likely spearhead the Hellas Verona attack against Inter Milan, while Cyril Ngonge reportedly close to joining Aston Villa. Finally, Jordi Mboula and Darko Lazovic will complete the numbers in the offensive department.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Montipo; Tchatchoua, Dawidowicz, Magnani, Doig; Duda, Folorunsho; Mboula, Suslov, Lazovic; Djuric
Key Stats
- Inter Milan have claimed three consecutive wins without conceding a goal against Hellas Verona in Serie A.
- The rivalry between Inter Milan and Hellas Verona is the second-most played match in Serie A without a defeat for the home side (32 matches), tied with AC Milan vs Verona (W19 D13) and behind Juventus vs Verona (33 matches).
- Inter Milan won the most Serie A matches in 2023 (27). Among teams in the top-five European leagues, only Manchester City (29) managed more victories.
- Inter Milan have won their last four home league matches without conceding a goal. The Nerazzurri can make it five in a row for the first time since 2018 (six successive games under Luciano Spalletti).
- Inter Milan have the best defensive record in Serie A this season, conceding only eight goals thus far.
Player to Watch
Marcus Thuram
With Lautaro Martinez returning this week, Simone Inzaghi will likely take things slow with the Inter Milan captain. So, the onus will be on Marcus Thuram to spearhead the attack against Hellas Verona on Saturday.
The French international has taken to Serie A like a fish to water, making his mark alongside Martinez in the final third. But Thuram needs to embrace more responsibility this weekend as the Argentine international looks to regain his sharpness after recovering from his recent injury.
Prediction
Inter Milan 1-0 Hellas Verona
Inter Milan’s home record is impeccable this season, with Sassuolo being the only team to beat them at San Siro. On the other hand, Hellas Verona’s struggles on the road have been never-ending, with the Gialloblu winning only one away game in Serie A this term.
So, the Nerazzurri should be comfortable in Saturday’s daytime kick-off, although they might not score many goals. Marco Baroni’s men have not been porous at the back, even though they have struggled on their travels. So, Inter Milan should clinch a 1-0 win on Saturday, with the visitors hardly threatening Yann Sommer’s goals.
