Inter Milan will be desperate to return to winning ways when they welcome AS Roma to San Siro in a Serie A clash on Saturday.
The dreaded international break is finally over, and teams across the globe will go in overdrive until the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Serie A resumes with Matchday 8 of the 2022/23 season, and the big game this weekend will see Inter Milan play hosts to AS Roma at San Siro on Saturday evening.
Inter Milan entered into the 2022/23 season with a lot of optimism. But they have endured a stop-start campaign thus far, managing to win only five of the nine games they have played thus far. The Nerazzurri went into the international break on the back of a 3-1 defeat to Udinese, dropping to seventh in the Serie A standings.
That is also the case with AS Roma, who seemed to be one of the favourites to win the Serie A title. But Jose Mourinho’s men have struggled to stitch together a run of positive results, winning only four of their opening seven league games and one of their two UEFA Europa League ties. And the inconsistent performances in Serie A have dropped the Giallorossi to sixth on the table.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Inter Milan cruise to a 3-1 win over AS Roma, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan scoring the consolation goal for the visitors. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
Now we're all here, time for #InterRoma ⚫?#ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/kNKsiCzPnu
— Inter (@Inter_en) September 29, 2022
Simone Inzaghi has a few pressing roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of the visit of AS Roma. On Saturday, the Inter Milan manager will be bereft of the services of three first-team players, with the latest absentee being Marcelo Brozovic.
The Croatian midfielder was going to miss the match due to suspension anyway but might be out for more than one game after picking up a thigh injury on international duty for his country. In addition, Romelu Lukaku should continue to be unavailable as he is yet to build full fitness since recovering from a hamstring injury. Alex Cordaz is a long-term absentee for Inter Milan.
Samir Handanovic should take his spot between the sticks against AS Roma, with Inter lining up in a 3-5-2 formation on Saturday. Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni should form the central defensive unit for the hosts, with Inzaghi picking his strongest eleven.
Kristjan Asllani should be an automatic pick in Brozovic’s absence, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicolo Barella likely to provide him defensive support. Former Roma playmaker Mkhitaryan and Barella will also provide the creative impetus from the middle of the park.
Matteo Darmian has been impressive in the early days of the 2022/23 season, and he should start ahead of Denzel Dumfries in the right wing-back slot, with Robin Gosens in line to start on the left flank. Finally, Lautaro Martinez and former AS Roma captain Edin Dzeko will form the strike partnership for Inter Milan.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Handanovic; Skriniar, de Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Gosens; Martinez, Dzeko
AS Roma
Unlike his counterpart in the Inter Milan dugout, Jose Mourinho does not have a new injury concern to deal with ahead of the trip to San Siro. But the AS Roma manager will also be without three first-team players on Saturday.
Georginio Wijnaldum (leg) is a long-term absentee for Roma, with Rick Karsdorp and Ebrima Darboe recovering from their respective knee injuries. Otherwise, Mourinho has a full-strength squad at his disposal.
Two days until #InterRoma… ?
#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/msE1DjmSlz— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) September 29, 2022
Rui Patricio will take his place in goal for AS Roma against Inter Milan, with the visitors forming a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of the Portuguese goalkeeper. Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling and Roger Ibanez will form the central defensive partnership, with Leonardo Spinazzola and Zeki Celik being the two wing-backs.
Bryan Cristante and Nemanja Matic will take their places in the middle of the park, with the duo covering the Roma backline. Meanwhile, Spinazzola and Celik will provide width in the final third, with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Nicolo Zaniolo tucking in behind the central striker. Finally, Tammy Abraham will lead the line for Roma against Inter Milan.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Celik, Cristante, Matic, Spinazzola; Pellegrini, Zaniolo; Abraham
Key Stats
- Inter Milan have won more Serie A games (75) and scored more Serie A goals (290) against AS Roma than they have against any other opponent in their history. The Nerazzurri are unbeaten in their last ten Serie A matches against Roma (W4 D6). Only between 1935 and 1941 have they had a longer streak against the Giallorossi (12 in that case). Roma’s last win against Inter in Serie A was back in February 2017 (3-1 at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium).
- Inter Milan have lost at least three of the first seven matches in a single Serie A season for the tenth time in their history. However, only on one occasion have they registered four defeats in the first eight games played, doing so in 2011/12.
- Inter Milan have won their last home seven league games, keeping four clean sheets in the period. The Nerazzurri have never collected a streak of eight home wins in a row under Simone Inzaghi in Serie A.
- AS Roma have lost two of their last three league games (W1), as many defeats as in the previous 21 matches in Serie A (W11 D8).
- Marcelo Brozovic will miss this match. Since last season, Inter Milan have won 69 per cent of the Serie A matches with the Croatian midfielder on the pitch (29/42), averaging 2.2 points; in the three matches without him, the Nerazzurri have never won, registering 0.7 points on average (D2 L1).
Prediction
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Lautaro Martinez will be eager to regain peak form to guide Inter Milan back to the upper echelons of Serie A. But Henrikh Mkhitaryan is our player to watch heading into the game against former club AS Roma.
The Armenian playmaker has gradually grown into his place in the Inter Milan squad, and the game on Saturday will give him the chance to stamp his authority at San Siro. With Nicolo Barella blowing hot and cold, the onus will be on Mkhitaryan to produce the goods in the final third to help Inter Milan rediscover some semblance of form.
Prediction
Inter Milan 1-1 AS Roma
Inter Milan and AS Roma have flattered to deceive thus far in the 2022/23 season, and they will look to put that behind them in the coming month. But Saturday’s game is counterproductive, considering both teams will tighten things at the back.
Inter Milan’s struggles have come on the road, and they are currently on a seven-game winning run at home. But Jose Mourinho should galvanise his troops to produce a resolute performance, with AS Roma eventually holding the Nerazzurri to a 1-1 draw.
