Serie A champions Inter Milan will be keen to get back to winning ways when they take on AS Roma in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan were given a rude shock at the weekend when they slumped to a 2-1 defeat to AC Milan to blow the Scudetto race wide open.
The fact that the Nerazzurri are vulnerable will be excellent news to Jose Mourinho, who will aim to add to their misery in the cup. Mourinho is unlike any other manager when it comes to taking advantage of the opposition’s disarray, and it could be on show at the San Siro on Tuesday.
Inter, for their part, are set to embark on a series of games that will make or break their season. With matches against Napoli and Liverpool still to come, the next few weeks will be crucial for Inzaghi’s first season in charge of the Serie A champions.
The Nerazzurri have made the quarterfinals of the Coppa Italia for eight seasons in a row now, but have failed to go all the way in the competition. Inter have not won the prestigious trophy since 2011 and have the opportunity to put that record to bed this season. A win on the night will help them get over the loss to AC Milan and improve the morale ahead of a gruelling run of fixtures.
Unlike Inter, Roma have had a season of ups and downs under Mourinho. They do have an outside chance of challenging for a top-four spot but could be aiming to go all the way in the Coppa Italia. I Giallorossi are the second most successful side in the competition, having won it nine times. However, they have not won the cup since 2008, the last time they won a major trophy.
Mourinho will know that his team’s momentum can pick up if they beat the Serie A champions in their backyard. Allegri’s men have shown themselves to be vulnerable, and there is no better time than now for Mourinho to reinforce those beliefs of self-doubt. It promises to be an intriguing contest between two of Italy’s top sides.
The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
?️ | INTERVIEW
Hear what Simone Inzaghi had to say ahead of our #CoppaItaliaFrecciarossa quarter-final against Roma tomorrow?pic.twitter.com/zULI13ryuc
— Inter ??? (@Inter_en) February 7, 2022
Inzaghi is likely to rotate his squad, given that the match is set to take place just three days after the Milan derby. Felipe Caicedo is set to miss the tie as he struggles with muscle fatigue. Ivan Perisic was also taken off against Milan with a knock and could be rested for the night.
While Inter are arguably the best side in Italy right now, they have a sense of predictability about their game. Inzaghi has patented the 3-5-2 system at the San Siro this season, and it is difficult to see him deviate from it against Roma. The Italian is set to ring in the changes but will likely stick with his tried and tested system.
Samir Handanovic is likely to start in goal ahead of Andreu Radu, who struggled in his last outing against Empoli in the previous round of the Coppa Italia. He looks set to start behind a back three of Alessandro Bastoni, Andrea Ranocchia and Danilo D’Ambrosio.
Federico Dimarco is likely to take over Perisic’s spot at left-wing-back while Matteo Darmian could come in for Denzel Dumfries on the other flank. Marcelo Brozovic looks set to start in the anchorman’s role in midfield and provide the base for Inter to seize control of the middle of the pitch. His presence should permit Hakan Calhanoglu and Roberto Gagliardini to push forward.
Lautaro Martinez has enjoyed a busy few weeks with both club and country. He could very well be rested on the night, with Alexis Sanchez replacing him in the starting XI. Edin Dzeko will start alongside him against his former side.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Handanovic; Bastoni, Ranocchia, D’Ambrosio; Dimarco, Calhanoglu, Brozovic, Gagliardini, Darmian; Dzeko, Sanchez
AS Roma
Unlike Inter, Mourinho is likely to go in with a stronger playing XI on the night. Mourinho realises the importance of winning trophies and will be well aware that his side is just three wins away from securing the Coppa Italia. Ending Giallorossi‘s 14-year wait for a trophy will be yet another feather in his cap.
The Portuguese tactician led Inter to the Coppa Italia in 2010. He is a master of mind games, and Mourinho already appears to have made his first move with a rant against refereeing decisions made in favour of Inter, among others.
Mourinho looks set to deploy his side in a 3-5-2 system that will mirror Inter on the night. Rui Patricio will start in goal, behind the back three of Roger Ibanez, Chris Smalling and Gianluca Mancini. Ainsley Maitland-Niles is likely to start at left wing-back while Rick Karsdorp will occupy the other flank. The former could find some joy on the flank going forward given Darmian’s preference to defend rather than attack.
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#ASRoma #InterRoma pic.twitter.com/pq9SZfe1WT— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) February 7, 2022
Bryan Cristiane will go up against Marcelo Brozovic and will need to get stuck in against Inter’s Croatian maestro. The more influence the 26-year-old can exert in the middle of the pitch, the better chances Jordan Veretout and Sergio Oliveira have of bombing forward. The battle in the middle of the pitch promises to be an ugly affair, and it could very well decide the tie.
Tammy Abraham and Nicolo Zaniolo have shown they have what it takes to trouble the best defences and could find some joy against a changed Inter backline. Abraham is likely to act as a target man of sorts with Zaniolo using his movement to run into channels.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Patricio; Ibanez, Smalling, Mancini; Maitland-Niles, Veretout, Cristante, Oliveira, Karsdorp; Abraham, Zaniolo
Key Stats
- Inter and Roma have faced off 210 times in their history, with Inter winning 92 times. Roma, meanwhile, have secured just 61 wins.
- The teams have faced off 21 times in the Coppa Italia. Inter have come out on top nine times while Roma have won six games. Their last meeting was in the 2012/23 semifinals, where Roma won by an aggregate scoreline of 5-3 over two legs.
- The last time both sides met in the quarterfinal stage of the competition was in 2009, with Inter winning 2-1. Jose Mourinho was in the Nerazzurri dugout that night.
- This season, Edin Dzeko is Inter’s top scorer with 12 strikes across all competitions. Abraham leads the list of scorers for AS Roma with 17 strikes this campaign.
Player to Watch
Tammy Abraham
Tammy pic.twitter.com/JfFNAiSNU3
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) February 7, 2022
The English international has had a positive start to life in the Italian capital. Abraham is Roma’s first-choice striker and has scored 17 goals and provided four assists in 31 appearances.
A dominant presence upfront, the Englishman’s physicality should cause what is likely to be a second-choice Inter backline several problems. His ability to get stuck in could also give Zaniolo avenues to run into and work his magic. How well the 24-year-old can tie down the Nerazzurri defence could determine Roma’s chances of progressing in the tie. Ranocchia will have his hands full and it promises to be an intriguing contest.
Prediction
Inter Milan 2-1 AS Roma
