Inter Milan vs Atalanta Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

Inter Milan will face one of their biggest hurdles in the pursuit for the Scudetto when they host Atalanta at the San Siro on Monday.

This game against Atalanta is going to be one of the toughest tests for Inter Milan in the race for the Serie A title, as La Dea seem to have found their goalscoring touch again. There is surely going to be a lot of fireworks when these two Serie A giants lock horns at the San Siro on Monday.

Inter Milan won their midweek game against Parma, thanks to a brace from Alexis Sanchez. The Nerazzurri are currently on a nine-game unbeaten run in the Serie A and have won their last five league games. They currently lead the Serie A standings with 59 points, six points clear of second-placed Milan.

Antonio’s Conte’s men have found their best form at the right time of the season, as they continue their push for the Serie A crown. The Italian will want his troops to be at the top of their game in order to extend their winning run to six games when they face Atalanta on Monday night.

Big-hitters Atalanta seem to have found their best form at the moment and will consider themselves to have an outside chance of winning the Scudetto. La Dea occupy the fourth position in the league, ten points behind leaders Inter. Atlanta dispatched bottom-placed Crotone 5-1 in their midweek game.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s men will know that they will have to be at their best to get any positive result at the San Siro against Inter and will try to outscore their opponent on Monday. It was a 1-1 statemate between the two sides in the reverse fixture. Ahead of this game, let us take a look at both teams.

Team News & Tactics

Inter Milan

Antonio Conte will have an almost fully-fit squad to choose from, barring Stefano Sensi, who nears rehabilitation from his injury.

Samir Handanovic will start in goal, with Milan Skriniar, Stefan De Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni forming the backline. Achraf Hakimi and Ivan Perisic will continue as wing-backs.

Nicolo Barella will be partnered by Marcelo Brozovic and Christian Eriksen in the three-man midfield. Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez will form the Nerazzurri’s attack, with the latter replacing Alexis Sanchez, even after the Chilean’s match-winning exploits against Parma.

Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 system will enable Hakimi and Perisic with the freedom to exploit spaces in the wide areas. Barella and Eriksen will be tasked with the creative role in the middle of the park, while Lukaku and Martinez continue their outstanding partnership upfront.

Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Hakimi, Barella, Brozovic, Eriksen, Perisic; Lukaku, Martinez

Atalanta

Gian Piero Gasperini will be without his first choice wing-back Hans Hateboer, as he continues to recuperate from his injury. Joakim Maehle will cover in his absence. Marten De Roon returns from his midweek suspension and will be reinstated into the lineup.

Pierluigi Gollini will be the custodian, as Rafael Toloi, Cristian Romero and Berat Djimsiti form the back three. Maehle and Robin Gosens will continue their role as wing-backs.

De Roon will partner Remo Freuler in the heart of midfield, with Josip Ilicic and Luis Muriel partnering Duvan Zapata in attack.

Gasperini employs a 3-4-3 system, in which Maehle and Gosens provide attacking options from wide areas, De Roon sets the tempo of the game and the link-up between Ilicic, Muriel and Zapata will be crucial to Atlanta’s attacking play.

Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Gollini; Toloi, Romero, Djimsiti; Maehle, De Roon, Freuler, Gosens; Ilicic, Zapata, Muriel

Key Stats

• Inter Milan are undefeated in their last nine Serie A matches and are currently on a winning run of five games.
• Atalanta have been in impressive away form as they are currently unbeaten in their last nine trips away from home in Serie A.
• Inter are unbeaten in their last 6 home games versus Atalanta. (P6 W4 D2 L0)
• Romelu Lukaku has been in top form for the Nerazzurri with 18 goals and 7 assists in 24 league games.
• Luis Muriel is La Dea’s best performer this season with 15 goals and 6 assists in 23 Serie A matches.

Player to Watch

Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku is Inter’s foremost and best attacking player at the moment and one could argue that he is probably the best striker in world football on current form. The Belgian’s presence causes nightmares for opposition defences. His ability to hold up and link up play, combined with his ball control, off the ball movement and the skill to run at opposition defences, set him apart from other strikers in the league.

With 18 goals and 7 assists in just 24 games, Lukaku is currently unstoppable and it is a rarity that he has an off day. His performances have given Inter the platform to win the Serie A title after a decade and Antonio Conte will hope that the Belgian continues to showcase his rich vein of form in the remaining matches of the Serie A.

Prediction

Inter Milan 3-3 Atalanta

Two of the top-scoring teams in Serie A face off against each other and the most likely outcome will be goals and a lot of them. Inter currently top the goalscoring charts with 62 goals in the Serie A, with Atalanta being a close second with 60 goals.

Both teams will try to outscore each other and thus, this fixture has all the ingredients of being a high-scoring, end to end and exciting game of football. The Hard Tackle predicts a thrilling 3-3 draw.