Inter Milan will angle for a third win of their campaign to keep up with the leaders when they face an unbeaten Fiorentina on Sunday.
Simone Inzaghi seems happy after his team’s bright start to the season. Not only have Inter Milan begun the campaign with back-to-back wins ahead of the clash with Fiorentina, they may have also been given a favourable draw in their UEFA Champions League group.
The manager will have stressed their inconsistent defensive performances from last season, and so far, they appear to have ironed out those issues. Clean sheets against Monza and Cagliari put Inter Milan in a brilliant position to match a team from 1966, which kept three shut-outs from as many opening games of a Serie A season.
🏃🔥#ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/r0nHJDfiuk
— Inter (@Inter) August 30, 2023
With that defensive resilience, the attackers also put in clutch performances, particularly Lautaro Martinez. The Nerazzurri’s new skipper already has three strikers in two games, with a brace against Monza and one against Cagliari helping him have a sharp start to the campaign.
Their opponents and visitors, Fiorentina, have also had a brilliant start to the campaign, taking four points from their opening two games. While their record against Inter Milan is as dreadful as it gets, the Viola will have to rely on their recent form and character to think they can get something out of San Siro on Sunday.
While they remain unbeaten in the league, they have had contrasting form in those two games. After a thumping victory over Genoa on the opening weekend, Fiorentina let slip up a two-goal lead and allowed Lecce to get back into the game and salvage a draw.
They cannot show such complacency against Inter Milan on Sunday, considering how sharp Inzaghi’s side have been in the opening period of the campaign. Fiorentina will come to Milan with the aim of positive results, and they could put on a show here to keep their unbeaten start going.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi has a nwar-fit squad at his disposal, barring a couple of players who are deemed doubtful to participate. Henrikh Mkhitaryan picked up a minor knee problem but could still make this game. The manager might see this as an opportunity to hand Davide Frattesi his Inter debut.
Inizia l'avvicinamento verso #InterFiorentina 💪#ForzaInter
— Inter (@Inter) August 31, 2023
Francesco Acerbi may also have a problem that might keep him out of contention for the Fiorentina clash. Inzaghi did not start the defender last time and had no reason to change his backline after consecutive clean sheets.
Overall, the Frattesi for Mkhitaryan swap may appear like the only change the manager might ponder and leave the reigns of his attack to skipper Lautaro Martinez. Summer arrival Marcus Thuram has also slotted in seamlessly and will continue up front alongside the Argentine.
Hakan Calhanoglou will continue to sit at the base of this Inter midfield, with the support of Nicolo Barella and Frattesi on either side. Denzel Dumfries will aim to keep his excellent start to the season, with Federico Dimarco on the left flank in a similar role.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Darmian, de Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglou, Frattesi, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Fiorentina
Vincenzo Italiano does have a few key absentees in his squad, with four players missing the trip to the San Siro. Antonin Barak, Gaetano Castrovilli, Abdelhamid Sabiri and Jonathan Ikone are nursing injuries. Yet, the manager will have a solid lineup to call upon to face Inter Milan.
📸 Maxime Lopez💜⚜️#forzaviola #fiorentina #violapark pic.twitter.com/Ql6b4dLi2q
— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) September 2, 2023
Fiorentina will sorely miss some notable names that made the move on transfer deadline day, including striker Luka Jovic and key midfielder Sofyan Amrabat. Maxime Lopez has joined to replace the Moroccan international. But this game will come too soon for him, although he has a suspension to carry out until September 19.
Hence, it is safe to assume Italiano will keep the same midfield double pivot of Arthur Melo and last weekend’s goalscorer Alfred Duncan. There’s also the option of Rolando Mandragora in place of the latter, but the manager will trust his setup from the last game.
Giacomo Bonaventura, who scored the winner the last time these sides met, will play in the attacking midfield role with support from Nicolas Gonzalez and Josip Brekalo on either side. The latter will likely replace Riccardo Sottil in that left-wing role. M’Bala Nzola could come in for Lucas Beltran in the centre-forward role, as Italiano will ring the changes in that position.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Terracciano; Dodo, Milenkovic, Ranieri, Parisi; Arthur, Duncan; Gonzalez, Bonaventura, Brekalo; Nzola
Key Stats
- Inter have scored at least two goals in eight of their last ten matches in Serie A.
- Inter have won nine of their last ten matches in Series A.
- Inter Milan have not kept three clean sheets in as many opening games of the season since 1966.
- Fiorentina are unbeaten after their two games this season.
- Before a victory in their last match, Fiorentina had lost 11 consecutive games against Inter Milan.
Player to Watch
Lautaru Martinez
Lautaro Martinez just can't stop scoring! What a player 🔥🔥🔥#InterMilan #lautaro #lautaromartinez pic.twitter.com/1ssODBTGfv
— Football &On (@Footballandon) August 28, 2023
Lautaro Martinez was forced to adapt to yet another new strike partner in this Inter Milan setup as he continues to grow his relationship with Marcus Thuram. The Argentine has started the season in flying form, with three goals in two games. And he will look to grow from here.
He seems neck-to-neck with Victor Osimhen or at least that has to be his objective this season if he wants to captain his team to the Serie A title. For now, the Argentine should focus on getting his game right against Fiorentina and consolidate his team’s position at the top end of the table.
Prediction
Inter Milan 3-1 Fiorentina
Fiorentina have made a strong start to the season, which gives them plenty of confidence coming to San Siro, and there is an expectation they will hurt Inter Milan in some way. But the way Simone Inzaghi’s men have started the season, there is little room for pessimism as they enter this fixture as the favourites.
Fiorentina have the firepower to break Inter Milan’s run of consecutive clean sheets. But the Nerazzurri have an in-form striker on their hands to settle matters. This game could go Inter Milan’s way, with the home team likely to score more than twice against their opponents.
