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

Inter Milan will be aiming to continue their title triumph celebrations with another win when they take on AS Roma on Wednesday night at San Siro.

Only three matchweeks remain in the 2020/21 Serie A season and newly-crowned champions Inter Milan will be hoping to end the campaign strongly by picking up victories in each of the remaining games, starting off with the clash against AS Roma at San Siro this midweek.

It has been a memorable campaign for Inter Milan in Serie A where they have looked near-unbeatable for long stretches, successfully bringing an end to Juventus’ long-running domination in the Italian top-flight. Having been confirmed as champions last week, they kickstarted the celebration party with a thumping 5-1 win over Sampdoria at the weekend and will be hoping to continue in the same vein of form come Wednesday.

AS Roma, will be looking to seal passage to the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League next season, when Jose Mourinho will be in charge of the team, as they are currently seventh in the table – two clear of Sassuolo who face Juventus next. the Giallorossi have picked up impressive wins over Manchester United and Crotone in their last two games and will be hoping to make it three in three against the champions.

The reverse fixture, played in January earlier this year, ended in a 2-2 draw with Gianluca Mancini scoring a late equaliser for Roma in the aftermath of Milan Skriniar and Achraf Hakimi cancelling out Lorenzo Pellegrini’s first half strike and giving Inter Milan the lead, respectively. The Hard Tackle now takes a closer look at both teams as they gear up for another battle on Wednesday.

Team News & Tactics

Inter Milan

Inter Milan will once again be without the services of midfielder Arturo Vidal and former AS Roma defender Aleksandar Kolarov for Wednesday’s fixture. Antonio Conte made wholesale changes to side against Sampdoria but is expected to recall some of his regulars when Roma come visiting this week.

Captain Samir Handanovic, who only played the first half in the last game, ought to start in goal while Milan Skriniar should replace Danilo D’Ambrosio in the three-man defensive unit. Andrea Ranocchia and Alessandro Bastoni are expected to hold on to their places though, with Stefan de Vrij set to be rested again.

Matteo Darmian ought to get a starting berth as the right wing-back ahead of Achraf Hakimi, with the Italian tasked with providing a constant attacking outlet on the flank. Ivan Perisic should come into the side in place of Ashley Young on the left.

Wholesale changes are expected in the middle of the park as well, with Marcelo Brozovic, Nicolo Barella and Stefano Sensi all starting in place of Christian Eriksen, Matias Vecino and Roberto Gagliardini, respectively, with the latter likely to feel hard done by the selection after a stunning display against Sampdoria.

Up top, top goalscorer Romelu Lukaku ought to return to the lineup, replacing former Manchester United teammate Alexis Sanchez, despite the Chileaan scoring two in the last game. Lautaro Martinez ought to partner the Belgian international in attack for Inter.

Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Handanovic; Skriniar, Ranocchia, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Brozovic, Sense, Perisic; Lukaku, Martinez

AS Roma

Roma, meanwhile, will be without as many as eight first-team players for the trip to Milan. Indeed, the Giallorossi will not be able to call upon the services of Pau Lopez, Nicolo Zaniolo, Jordan Veretout, Chris Smalling, Federico Fazio, Riccardo Calafiori, Amadou Diawara and Leonardo Spinazzola. Stephan El Shaarawy, Carles Perez and Gonzalo Villar are back at Paulo Fonseca’s disposal, though, handing him a slight boost.

Roma will continue to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of goalkeeper Antonio Mirante with Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibanez forming the central defensive partnership. They will be supported defensively by the full-back duo of Rick Karsdorp and Davide Santon, who will also look to drive forward when the opportunity presents itself.

Bryan Cristante will have the task of keeping Nicolo Barella quiet in the middle of the park with support coming from youngster Ebrima Darboe yet again, while captain Lorenzo Pellegirni slots in as the No. 10 and looks to string together attacking moves in the final third for the Italian capital outfit.

Ex-Chelsea superstar Pedro ought to line up on the right flank where he will look to exploit the spaces behind wing-back Ivan Perisic while Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has 10 goals and 10 assists this term, ought to get the nod on the left, although he is likely to veer infield and look to play closer to the striker, who ought to be Edin Dzeko, with Borja Mayoral an option from the bench.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Mirante; Karsdorp, Mancini, Ibanez, Santon; Cristante, Darboe; Pedro, Pellegrini, Mkhitaryan, Dzeko

Key Stats

• Inter Milan have won each of their last 14 matches at home in Serie A.
• AS Roma have lost their last three games on the road in Serie A. The Giallorossi have shipped in at least two goals in each of their last five away games in the competition.
• Inter Milan have drawn each of their last six encounters against AS Roma across all competitions.
• AS Roma have won each of their last nine Serie A games played on a Wednesday.
• Since taking over at Inter Milan in 2019/20, Antonio Conte has beaten 21 of the 22 sides he has faced in Serie A. AS Roma are the only team he hasn’t beaten (D3).

Player to Watch

Lautaro Martinez

While he may have been a bit under the shadows of Romelu Lukaku this season, there is no denying that Lautaro Martinez has had a huge role to play in Inter Milan’s ascent to the top of the league title. The Argentine, despite having had a few ups and downs, has been able to perform consistently at a high level and has, as a result, produced a tally of 16 goals and 8 assists from 35 league outings.

This has seen him get heavily linked with a summer switch to Real Madrid. Martinez, though, has reiterated his desire to stay at Inter Milan and sign a new contract, dismissing the exit speculations. The 23-year-old was on the scoresheet in the last game against Sampdoria as well and will be aiming to continue to produce the goods in front of goal yet again this midweek, as he looks to commit his future to the Nerazzurri.

Prediction

Inter Milan 2-1 AS Roma

AS Roma may be coming on the back of a thumping 5-0 win over Crotone but in Inter Milan they will be facing a team that is hard to break down. At the same time, the Giallorossi haven’t been all too secure at the back in recent fixtures, barring the last game, and with the form that the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez and Alexis Sanchez are in, the new champions of Italy should be able to bag another victory in their title-winning campaign.