Serie A holders Inter Milan will welcome an unbeaten Juventus side to the Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday evening.
Italy will come to a standstill on Sunday evening, as Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan and Juventus clash in an eagerly-awaited Derby d’Italia. The showdown at San Siro sees the reigning champions Inter Milan leading a resurgent Juventus by just one point in the league standings.
Reprising a 123-year-old rivalry, the two clubs with the most Scudetti in Serie A history meet again this weekend, with Inter aiming to maintain their recent supremacy over their old foes. Since the end of Juventus’s relentless dominance in 2021, the Nerazzurri have twice been crowned Serie A champions and have beaten Juve to Coppa Italia and Supercoppa titles.
Coming into Sunday’s clash against Juventus, Inter Milan have lost just one of their last 19 home fixtures in Serie A, a setback against city rivals AC Milan in September. Since then, they have posted five consecutive victories, reaffirming their stronghold at San Siro.
Most recently, Simone Inzaghi’s men recorded a last-gasp Champions League win over BSC Young Boys, following an opening draw against Manchester City and a 4-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade, putting them in a strong position to reach the top eight in Europe’s elite competition.
In Serie A, Inter’s form is equally formidable, having suffered just one defeat in their first 11 games of the season. Last weekend, they edged out AS Roma 1-0, courtesy of captain Lautaro Martinez’s decisive strike. Inzaghi will be particularly pleased with consecutive clean sheets, addressing a slight defensive wobble earlier in the campaign.
However, despite their solidity, Inter have conceded an average of one more goal per game than Juventus, highlighting an area for improvement. Nevertheless, Inter Milan’s recent record against Juventus at home is promising, with the Nerazzurri winning two of their last four league meetings at San Siro, matching the number of victories achieved in their previous 11 encounters against the Bianconeri.
After a period of domestic dominance dried up, Juventus have managed just two wins from their last six Serie A matches against Inter Milan. However, the Bianconeri travel to San Siro as the only unbeaten team in the league this season, a position they last enjoyed after eight rounds in 2019, when they went on to claim the Scudetto.
Following last weekend’s narrow 1-0 victory over a 10-man Lazio, Juventus find themselves back in the thick of the title race. The Turin giants have conceded just one league goal so far this term, with that latest success briefly taking them to the Serie A summit until former boss Antonio Conte guided his Napoli side back on top.
New Juventus coach Thiago Motta, a former Inter Milan star during his playing days, has quickly reshaped the mood in a squad that had struggled for consistency in recent years. Juventus’s away form has been particularly impressive, taking seven points from a possible nine after a previous eight-game winless run on the road.
Remarkably, they are the only side across Europe’s top five leagues yet to concede a goal on their travels this season. Despite Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League setback, a 1-0 defeat to VfB Stuttgart where the Bundesliga side scored deep into second-half stoppage time, Motta will switch his focus back to Serie A and an enticing managerial battle against Inzaghi.
Juventus have proven resilient in the league, and with a title charge now a genuine possibility, they head into the Derby d’Italia eager to reassert their status as a major force in Italian football. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the night.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi is set to make several changes to his lineup following their midweek victory. Key starters Federico Dimarco, Lautaro Martinez, and Marcus Thuram are expected to return to the first eleven after coming off the bench to play vital roles in the late winner against Young Boys. Alessandro Bastoni is also slated to start, reinforcing the defence.
However, Inter have a few injury concerns to navigate. Carlos Augusto suffered a muscle strain in midweek and joins long-term absentee Hakan Calhanoglu and veteran defender Francesco Acerbi on the sidelines. On a positive note, both Kristjan Asllani and Piotr Zielinski have recovered from their respective injuries and are likely to be named on the bench, adding depth to the midfield options.
For the probable lineup, Inter Milan are set to line up in their trademark 3-5-2 formation. Yann Sommer is expected to start in goal, protected by a three-man defence consisting of Benjamin Pavard on the right, Stefan de Vrij in the centre, and Alessandro Bastoni on the left. Matteo Darmian and Federico Dimarco will likely occupy the wing-back positions, providing width and support both offensively and defensively.
In central midfield, Davide Frattesi and Nicolo Barella should partner alongside Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who will play a pivotal role in linking the defence and attack. Up front, the duo of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram will spearhead the attack, looking to exploit Juventus’s backline with their speed and technical prowess.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Juventus
Juventus could be without Douglas Luiz, who withdrew from the warm-up before the midweek Champions League match against Stuttgart due to a thigh issue. Meanwhile, summer recruits Teun Koopmeiners and Nico Gonzalez remain sidelined with rib and thigh injuries, respectively. On the brighter side, first-choice goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio returns from his UEFA suspension and is expected to reclaim his place between the posts.
In attack, manager Thiago Motta is set to keep faith with the youthful duo of Turkish sensation Kenan Yildiz and on-loan Portuguese winger Francisco Conceicao to support the prolific Dusan Vlahovic. Both forwards have been key to Juve’s plans this season, with Vlahovic currently leading the Serie A goal charts alongside Inter’s Marcus Thuram. However, Vlahovic will be looking to end his goal drought at San Siro, where he has yet to score in seven league appearances.
For the probable lineup, Juventus will likely deploy a 4-3-3 formation against Inter Milan. Michele Di Gregorio should start in goal, with Andrea Cambiaso and Pierre Kalulu occupying the right and left full-back roles. Federico Gatti and Jose Maria Cabal will likely form the centre-back pairing.
In midfield, Weston McKennie, Manuel Locatelli, and Nicolo Fagioli are expected to form a solid three-man central unit tasked with shielding the defence and creating chances for the attackers. Up front, Dusan Vlahovic will lead the line as the central striker, flanked by Francisco Conceicao on the right and Kenan Yildiz on the left. This setup provides balance and a mix of experience and youth in key areas of the field.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Di Gregorio; Cambiaso, Kalulu, Gatti, Cabal; McKennie, Locatelli, Fagioli; Conceicao, Vlahovic, Yildiz
Key Stats
- Inter have suffered their most Serie A defeats against Juventus (87), accounting for 13% of all losses in the league for the Nerazzurri. However, the Bianconeri have only managed two wins in the last six league meetings between the two teams (D2 L2).
- Juventus are unbeaten in six of their last seven Serie A matches against Inter when both teams were in the top three positions at the start of a matchday (W3 D3), but they lost the most recent encounter, 1-0, in February.
- Inter have won two of their last four Serie A matches against Juventus at San Siro (D1 L1), which matches their previous 11 home results against the Bianconeri (D4 L5).
- Juventus are the only unbeaten team (W4 D4) after eight rounds of Serie A this season, achieving this for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign. Meanwhile, Inter have won five of their last seven league matches (D1 L1) after failing to win four of their prior five (D3 L1).
- Inter have lost just one of their last 19 home games in Serie A (W14 D4), with the lone defeat coming against Milan in September. Juventus, however, have won two of their last three away games (D1) after failing to win in each of the previous eight (D5 L3). The Bianconeri are the only side in Europe’s big five leagues this season yet to concede a goal away from home.
Player to Watch
Dusan Vlahovic
Vlahovic has been a crucial figure for Juventus this season, netting five goals in the Italian top flight this season. The Serbian striker has netted seven goals across all competitions and will be eager to extend his tally in this highly anticipated Derby d’Italia clash. His ability to find the net from a variety of situations—be it through powerful headers, long-range strikes, or clinical finishes inside the box—makes him a constant threat to any defence.
Despite his impressive form, Vlahovic has yet to score in seven league appearances at San Siro, and Sunday’s showdown provides the perfect stage for him to break that duck. With his intelligent movement, physical prowess, and a knack for seizing key moments, Vlahovic will be a key player to watch as he seeks to lead Juventus to a crucial victory over their old rivals. His battle with Inter’s defence could very well define the outcome of this intense encounter.
Prediction
Inter Milan 1-1 Juventus
Given the current form of both teams and their defensive solidity, this encounter at San Siro promises to be a tightly contested affair. Inter Milan’s strong home record and attacking quality, with Lautaro Martinez leading the line, make them slightly favored. However, Juventus’a impressive away form and unbeaten run under Thiago Motta mean they are more than capable of frustrating the hosts and capitalizing on defensive lapses.
Expect both teams to prioritize defensive organization while looking to exploit counter-attacks. A draw seems a likely outcome, with both sides eager to avoid dropping crucial points in the Serie A title race.
