Napoli and Inter Milan take on each other in a clash that could have serious implications on the Serie A title race.
All eyes will be on the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium this Saturday when Napoli host defending champions Inter Milan in the standout Serie A clash of the weekend.
A solitary point separates both sides at the top of the table, and the winner on the night could gain huge momentum going into the final stretch of the season. With Inter also having a match in hand, one could argue that the onus will be on Napoli to take the game to their opponents.
Simone Inzaghi’s side came out on top in the reverse fixture by a margin of 3-2. A repeat of the same will potentially see them leave Napoli behind once again in the Scudetto race. AC Milan are level on points with Napoli and appear to be coming into form at the right time. The Rossoneri will be amongst those who will watch the game with great interest.
Napoli have an excellent record against Inter at home, having lost just one of their last 15 league ties. However, the Gli Azzurri have lost three of their last five at home, displaying a soft underbelly. Inter certainly have the tools at their disposal to put their opponents to the sword, and it remains to be seen how Inzaghi goes about dismantling the opposition.
Luciano Spaletti’s side have conceded just 16 times this season in Serie A and possess the best defensive record in the league. Inter, meanwhile, are the top flight’s most prolific team and have found the back of the net 54 times. It promises to be an intriguing clash between the Serie A’s top sides.
The Nerazzurri have been excellent in their travels this season and will be keen to get their season back on track following the defeat against Milan. Beating Napoli will certainly help regain the lost morale ahead of the blockbuster clash against Liverpool in the Champions League next week. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Napoli
Morning training session ☀️
? #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/8m5DlwZIZ5
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) February 9, 2022
Luciano Spaletti could be without star defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who recently returned from his successful Africa Cup of Nations campaign with Senegal. The game may have come too soon for him, and Napoli will probably start him on the bench.
Hirving Lozano is out, while Adam Ounas will undergo late fitness tests to see if he can feature on Saturday. Axel Tuanzebe continues to struggle with a back problem but could still make the cut for the matchday squad. All three players are unlikely to start, but should make the squad if they prove their fitness.
It is not all doom and gloom, as Ivory Coast international Andre Zambo Anguissa is back in contention after returning from the AFCON. Spaletti’s side endured a difficult couple of months but now appear to be back to their best. Napoli’s first XI can go up against Inter and give the defending champions a close run. Spaletti has preferred to use a 4-2-3-1 formation this season and will stick to his guns.
David Ospina is the sure starter in goal, behind the back four of Mario Rui, Juan Jesus, Amir Rrahmani and Giovanni Di Lorenzo. The double-pivot of Stanislav Lobotka and Fabian Ruiz will aim to negate the impact Marcelo Brozovic has on the pitch, seizing control in the middle of the park. The home side can cut off the key artery that links the attack with the defence by doing so.
By going in with a double pivot, Napoli can at the very least look to overwhelm Inter with strength in numbers in midfield. Lobotka and Ruiz winning the midfield battle will unleash the trio of Lorenzo Insigne, Piotr Zielinksi and Matteo Politano. They will look to run into the space opened up to them by Victor Osimhen, who will lead the Napoli line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Rui, Jesus, Rrahmani, Lorenzo; Ruiz, Lobotka; Insigne, Zielinski, Politano; Osimhen
Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi’s side will be without Alessandro Bastoni, who is suspended after his antics against Milan. Joaquin Correa and Robin Gosens will also miss out for the visitors due to injuries.
Inzaghi has an otherwise full-strength team to choose from. The Italian has patented the 3-5-2 formation, and it is hard to see the Nerazzurri line up in any system apart from that. Samir Handanovic looked shaky against Roma but will keep his place in the squad.
The veteran will play behind the back three of Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij and Danilo D’Ambrosio, who will replace Bastoni in the back three. It will not come as a surprise if Skriniar starts on the left side of the rearguard. Denzel Dumfries looks set to return to the lineup, taking Matteo Darmian’s spot on the right flank.
Ivan Perisic, meanwhile, will be deployed as the left-wing back, a position that he has made his own. The central midfield trio of Marcelo Brozovic, Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella pick themselves. Barella is suspended for the game against Liverpool and is likely to see out the 90 minutes against Napoli. Alexis Sanchez has impressed of late but is expected to make way for Lautaro Martinez, who will partner Edin Dzeko upfront.
Nerazzurri set off for Naples ?#NapoliInter #ForzaInter #SerieA pic.twitter.com/gkMLYLs3bT
— Inter ??? (@Inter_en) February 11, 2022
With Osimhen back, Napoli can use him to apply pressure on de Vrij in defence. This could prompt Skriniar and D’Ambrosio to stay narrow, opening up space on the wings for Insigne and Politano. Zielinski’s excellent passing range should provide ammo for his teammates running into space.
The approach can be nullified by having Inter’s wing-backs play deeper, but that will severely negate their impact going forward. Such a situation will make it easier for Napoli to isolate the Inter frontline. Whether this could potentially force the Inter manager to reconsider his formation remains to be seen.
Probable lineup (3-5-2): Handanovic; Skriniar, de Vrij, D’Ambrosio; Perisic, Calhanoglu, Brozovic, Barella, Dumfries; Dzeko, Martinez
Key Stats
- Inter Milan have lost just one of their last nine games against Napoli in Serie A.
- Napoli have been unable to keep a clean sheet against Inter Milan in their last seven Serie A games.
- Napoli are unbeaten in 14 of the previous 15 home games against Inter Milan in Serie A.
- Napoli have lost three of their last five Serie A home games. Only Venezia have a worse record in the Italian top-flight during that time.
- Napoli have conceded just 16 goals in the league and possess the best defence in Serie A this season. Inter Milan meanwhile have the best attack, having plundered 54 goals so far.
Player to watch
Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen has scored more goals than any other Napoli player across all competitions this season:
◎ 17 games
◉ 10 goalsInto double figures. ? pic.twitter.com/khQo1ECGPi
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) February 6, 2022
The striker injured his cheekbone the last time Napoli went up against Inter. He only returned to the starting lineup last weekend against Venezia and also found the back of the net. The Nigerian international has a point to prove and will hope to get the better of the Nerazzurri defenders this time around.
A prolific striker, Osimhen has ten goals in 17 appearances so far this season and is the complete package upfront. His presence will give Spalletti a reliable striker who can make a difference up front, and a target man who is capable of running into space himself and creating it for others. There is no better time than now for Osimhen to make a point, boosting his side’s chances of securing the Serie A title.
Prediction
Napoli 1-1 Inter Milan
It promises to be a tight game where both defences could rule the roost. It remains unlikely that either side will throw caution to the wind and go for the jugular. Inter, for their part, can afford to settle for a draw given that they have a game in hand over the chasing pack. One can expect a close game where individual errors could be each side’s undoing rather than a collective collapse. A 1-1 draw is what The Hard Tackle predicts.
