San Siro will form the backdrop for a blockbuster clash between Serie A top-four hopefuls AS Roma and league leaders Inter Milan on Sunday evening.
Inter Milan are flying high at the moment ahead of the game against AS Roma this weekend. The hosts returned to the top of the league table thanks to a 3-0 win over Torino last Saturday as the Nerazzurri grew into the game after a shaky start.
They continued their fine UEFA Champions League form in the midweek, putting Red Bull Salzburg to the sword in a comprehensive 3-0 victory on Tuesday evening, a result that moved them to second with seven points from a possible nine in Champions League Group D.
Having lost just one game all season, as well as being able to celebrate a 5-1 thrashing of city rivals and current runners-up AC Milan in the process, they will now be set on keeping their top spot at the summit of Serie A with a positive result this weekend against AS Roma.
As for the visitors, AS Roma found themselves in the midst of a public outcry at the start of the 2023/24 campaign after recording only one win in their first six league games (D2 L3).
However, Jose Mourinho’s troops have come roaring back in some style, having won each of their previous five appearances across all competitions by an aggregate score of 13-1, including a 2-0 Europa League victory at home against Slavia Prague on Thursday night, which continued a perfect start to their Group G campaign with three wins from three.
Riding on red-hot winning momentum, they still have plenty of ground to make up in Serie A, currently sitting seventh with 14 points after nine rounds, three behind fourth-placed Napoli. Stephan El Shaarawy’s late strike against AC Monza gave them their third straight league win last time out. But they might face a stern examination here against table-toppers Inter.
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Inter Milan
— Inter (@Inter_en) October 26, 2023
Juan Cuadrado and Marko Arnautovic are absent due to muscle injuries, ruling out the pair until November. Yann Sommer should take his spot between the sticks against AS Roma, with Inter lining up in a 3-5-2 formation on Sunday. Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni, and Benjamin Pavard should form the central defensive unit for the hosts, with Simone Inzaghi picking his strongest eleven.
Hakan Calhanoglu should be an automatic pick in the holding midfield role, with Davide Frattesi and Nicolo Barella likely to provide him defensive support as well as the creative impetus from the middle of the park.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, de Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Barella, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram
AS Roma
AS Roma’s recent mini-revival have given their fans reason to be optimistic. But they will not have head coach Jose Mourinho shouting orders from the dugout on Sunday after he received a one-match ban for his antics at the end of the game against Monza. The Giallorossi scored a late winner, and the Special One was sent off for mocking his counterpart.
While Renato Sanches and Chris Smalling are back in training and hope to feature after spending several weeks sidelined by injury, there is still a very long injury list at the Stadio Olimpico. And it looks as though this game will come soon for the return of key men Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala, in addition to long-term absentees Marash Kumbulla and Tammy Abraham.
Auguri Stephan! 💛❤️#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/eXfhmZVP5o
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) October 27, 2023
Evan Ndicka was withdrawn from Sunday’s win over Monza after picking up a knock. But the 24-year-old started in the midweek and could feature here from the get-go, meaning Bryan Cristante will be deployed in midfield alongside Leandro Paredes and Houssem Aouar.
Portuguese shot-stopper Rui Patricio has been one of the worst keepers not only in Italy but also in Europe. However, due to a lack of options, he will keep his spot in between the sticks for Roma. The Giallorossi boast the second-best attack in the league with 20 goals scored and will be looking to cause Inter some serious problems.
Romelu Lukaku, who has eight goals in all competitions since joining on loan from Chelsea this summer, will make a contentious return to San Siro on Sunday evening and spearhead Mourinho’s attack. Italy international Stephen El Shaarawy may get a chance to partner the Belgian striker up front after his heroics last weekend.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Patricio; Mancini, Llorente, Ndicka; Karsdorp, Cristante, Paredes, Aouar, Spinazzola; El Shaarawy, Lukaku
Key Stats
- Inter Milan have won 14 of their last 17 Serie A matches.
- Inter Milan have kept a clean sheet in seven of their last 10 Serie A matches.
- The Nerazzurri have won four of their previous five Serie A encounters against Roma.
- Three of the last four Serie A clashes between Inter and Roma at the San Siro have finished with both teams finding the net.
Prediction
Lautaro Martinez
If reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport are anything to go by, Inter Milan are planning to extend Lautaro Martinez’s contract until 2028 by offering him a new lucrative deal, which could make him the highest-paid player in the league. And rightly so!
The 2022 World Cup winner has remained loyal to the Nerazzurri cause despite heavy outside interest and recently inherited the captaincy following the departure of Samir Handanovic and other senior members of the squad. This season, he is taking his game up a notch, has already bagged 12 goals across all competitions, and could be the difference-maker in what is expected to be a fiery encounter against Roma.
Prediction
Inter Milan 3-2 AS Roma
This should be a cracking contest. But Inter Milan may just hold the upper hand in what is expected to be a wild, back-and-forth goalfest of a match. AS Roma have been on a roll lately, having won their last five league and cup matches.
But the Inter Milan defence is strong, and the Serie A leaders should be hungry for home success, having taken just one point from their last two games in front of the San Siro crowd. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-2 win for Simone Inzaghi and his charges.
