Inter Milan will welcome Atalanta to the Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday, with a Coppa Italia semi-final spot up for grabs.
Defending champions Inter Milan will aim to take another step closer to successfully retaining their title when they welcome Serie A rivals Atalanta to the Giuseppe Meazza for their Coppa Italia quarter-final clash on Tuesday.
Both teams are in good form going into the clash. The home side have suffered just one defeat in their last nine competitive games, while Atalanta have not experienced defeat in their last six games.
Simone Inzaghi’s side need a miracle to turn their fortunes around in the Serie A title race and are better off focusing their efforts on cup competitions. The UEFA Champions League might prove to be beyond the Italian side’s grasp meaning the Coppa Italia takes special significance.
La Dea have been irresistible in front of goal, finding the back of the net 18 times over their last four games across all competitions. Inter have shown some vulnerability when confronted by teams that take the game to them and could be in for another difficult night in front of their own fans.
Inzaghi’s men have been grossly inconsistent this season. A scintillating win over AC Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana was followed by a shock 1-0 loss at home to Empoli. While the Nerazzurri did get back to winning ways against Cremonese, one is not sure what version of the side will turn up on any given day.
Atalanta have won the Coppa Italia just once in their history, despite making the final five times. The last time they did so was in 2021, losing 2-1 to Juventus. The triumph in 1963 represents La Dea’s lone major trophy in their 115 years of existence.
A win on the night will see either side take part in a double-legged fixture against the winner of the Juventus vs Lazio quarter-final clash. There is still a long way to go before the final. But a win on Tuesday is a step in the right direction. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
#Mondayvibes after a weekend win 😃#ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/Fnsx3RQCdx
— Inter (@Inter_en) January 30, 2023
Samir Handanovic and Marcelo Brozovic are both back in training and will give Simone Inzaghi more depth to choose from. However, it will come as a surprise should the Inter Milan boss opt to rush either of the players to start the game.
Inter will also welcome back Nicolo Barella and Milan Skriniar, two key first-team stars who were suspended for the game against Cremonese. Inzaghi has a nearly fully-fit roster to choose from and is likely to put out a strong side.
The Inter boss is, however, unlikely to deviate from his trademark 3-5-2 system. A system also used by his predecessor Antonio Conte at the Giuseppe Meazza, it is a double-edged sword that plays to Inter’s strengths while also making them somewhat predictable to their opponents.
Andre Onana has made the starting goalkeeper’s spot his own this season and is expected to continue between the sticks on the night. He will be the last line of defence behind a back three of Milan Skriniar, Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni.
The trio’s narrow setup will allow Matteo Darmian and Federico Dimarco to push forward on the flanks. Nicolo Barella will partner with Henrikh Mkhitaryan in central midfield, with Hakan Calhanoglu occupying the deep-lying playmaker’s role.
Lautaro Martinez has rediscovered his form post the World Cup and will be keen to add further to his season’s tally. He will lead the line on the night, even occasionally dropping back to play as a number 10 while his strike partner, Edin Dzeko forms the focal point up front. With the derby against AC Milan this weekend, Inzaghi will be keen to get the job done quickly on the night.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Onana; Skriniar, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Dzeko, Martinez
Atalanta
La Dea were knocked out in the quarter-final stage last season and will be keen to go at least one better this time around. Having reached the semi-finals thrice in the last five years, Atalanta are no strangers to the occasion.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are simply irresistible going forward on their day and have been hammering in the goals of late. However, they are far from secure at the back and can be caught out by a top side.
The Atalanta boss will be without Jose Luis Palomino and Davide Zappacosta, who are nursing leg and hamstring injuries, respectively. La Dea are likely to deploy in a 3-4-2-1 system with the dual number 10s inspiring the attack.
Mantenere la porta inviolata così 👇🚫
Two super saves to keep the clean sheet 🧤@musso_juan #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/UqW1VCHbPG
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) January 30, 2023
Juan Musso should start in goal behind the centre-back trio of Rafael Toloi, Berat Djimsiti and Giorgio Scalvini. Scalvini is attracting attention from Inter Milan and will provide the Nerazzurri with the opportunity to take a closer look at his talents.
Hans Hateboer and Joakim Mahele will start as the wing-backs, with Marten De Roon and Ederson holding the fort in central midfield. The duo will provide the base for Jeremy Boga and an in-form Ademola Lookman to make merry and craft opportunities for Rasmus Hojlund.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Musso; Toloi, Djimsiti, Scalvini; Hateboer, De Roon, Ederson, Maehle; Lookman, Boga; Hojlund
Key Stats
- A win on the night will see Atalanta make their fourth semi-final appearance in the Coppa Italian in the last six years.
- Inter Milan have won the competition eight times in their history. Only Juventus and AS Roma have a better record than the Nerazzurri in the competition.
- The Coppa Italia win in 1963 remains Atalanta’s lone major trophy in their 115 years of existence.
- Inter Milan and Atalanta have faced off against each other nine times in the competition with the Nerazzurri coming out on top seven times while Atalanta have triumphed twice.
- Atalanta have not defeated Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia since 1974.
Player to Watch
Ademola Lookman
🇳🇬⚡️ Out of Europe's top 5 leagues: Ademola Lookman has scored the most goals (5), with 61 mins-per-goal.
Reminder: Atalanta only paid €9m for him. Overall he has 17 G+A in 19 games in all-comps. pic.twitter.com/DoqTlgIetS
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) January 29, 2023
The former RB Leipzig man has been sensational since moving to Atalanta in 2022 and has 17 goal contributions in 19 appearances for La Dea. His pace, and power combined with the ability to make the right runs make him a difficult player to tie down.
This will especially bethe case should Atalanta have Lookman go up against an ageing Francesco Acerbi. The 25-year-old could sow chaos in the Inter defence, drawing the central defenders out of position and opening space for those around him to exploit.
Lookman is likely to be Atalanta’s most dangerous player in the attack. And as long as Inter keep him quiet, they can hand Gian Piero Gasperini’s plans of an upset a major setback.
Prediction
Inter Milan 3-2 Atalanta (Inter Milan to win in extra time)
With both teams being far from secure at the back, goals will be expected at both ends. Simone Inzaghi’s squad is better man-to-man, and they also have home support to boot. With Lautaro Martinez also looking sharp, there is every reason to believe the home side can get over the line. The game is likely to be a close one, with extra time deciding the winner.
