Inter Milan will welcome Fiorentina to the Giuseppe Meazza for a Serie A clash on Monday night.
After their surprise loss in Florence just days ago, Inter Milan will aim to bounce back and exact revenge on Fiorentina when the two sides meet again at the Giuseppe Meazza on Monday evening. With both teams battling for crucial points in their respective campaigns, this clash promises to be an intense and tightly contested affair.
Inter Milan entered their midweek clash against Fiorentina on a high, having already secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League’s last 16 and snatching a late draw in the Derby della Madonnina against AC Milan. However, their trip to Florence ended in disappointment, as the Nerazzurri suffered a 3-0 defeat, their first away loss of the Serie A season.
That result marked only their second league defeat of the campaign, and Inter will be determined to ensure it doesn’t become a trend. Simone Inzaghi’s men have not suffered back-to-back league losses since April 2023, and they will be keen to maintain that record as they continue to chase league leaders Napoli in the Scudetto race.
With a strong home record to fall back on, Inter are formidable at home, where they have consistently delivered dominant performances. Inzaghi will undoubtedly demand a response from his players to keep the pressure on Napoli at the top of the table.
Fiorentina stunned Inter with a clinical second-half display on Thursday, scoring three times through Luca Ranieri and Moise Kean (brace). The 3-0 victory came on the heels of an impressive win against Lazio, where Fiorentina battled with 10 men for much of the second half.
Currently sitting with 42 points, Fiorentina are enjoying their best Serie A campaign at this stage in nine years. Under Raffaele Palladino, the Viola have built a reputation for resilience and attacking flair, making them genuine contenders for a top-five finish. With UEFA competitions offering additional routes to Europe, Fiorentina’s sights are firmly set on returning to continental football’s top tier.
Beating Inter at the Giuseppe Meazza, however, is no easy feat. If Fiorentina can manage to do the double over the Nerazzurri for the first time since 2016, it would further solidify their credentials as a team to be reckoned with in the Serie A upper echelons. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Inter Milan
Simone Inzaghi will have the opportunity to call upon Nicola Zalewski, who was unavailable for the previous match due to Lega Serie A rules prohibiting new signings from playing in games originally scheduled for earlier dates. With Denzel Dumfries suspended, the Polish wing-back could make his first start for Inter since joining on loan from AS Roma. However, there is also a possibility that Matteo Darmian could be preferred on the right flank to provide experience and defensive solidity.
Aside from this potential change on the right, Inter are expected to field an otherwise unchanged lineup. Captain Lautaro Martinez will again partner Marcus Thuram in the attack. Thuram has fond memories of facing Fiorentina, as he scored his first Serie A goal against the Viola at San Siro in September 2023 and also provided an assist for Martínez in that game. The Frenchman has already scored 13 league goals this season, and another would set a new personal best for him in a single Serie A campaign.
Inter’s defensive unit will remain intact, with Inzaghi looking to keep things stable as his team seeks to bounce back from their midweek defeat. Inter Milan are expected to line up in a 3-5-2 formation against Fiorentina, with Yann Sommer starting between the posts. The back three will feature Benjamin Pavard on the right, Stefan de Vrij in the centre, and Alessandro Bastoni on the left.
In midfield, Matteo Darmian (or Nicola Zalewski) will operate as the right wing-back, while Federico Dimarco takes his usual place on the left, offering width and an attacking threat. The central midfield trio will comprise Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with Barella providing energy and creativity, Calhanoglu dictating play, and Mkhitaryan contributing experience and goal-scoring ability.
Up front, Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram will lead the line. Martinez’s lethal finishing and Thuram’s strength and movement will pose a constant threat to Fiorentina’s defence, making them one of Serie A’s most dangerous attacking duos.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, de Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram
ACF Fiorentina
Fiorentina can now call upon their recent signings, including Michael Folorunsho, Cher Ndour, Nicolo Fagioli, and Nicolo Zaniolo. Zaniolo, in particular, will be keen to make an impact, having come through Inter’s primavera system earlier in his career. However, there are some notable absentees: new signing Pablo Mari is struggling with an injury, Pietro Comuzzo is suspended for this match, and Albert Gudmundsson is sidelined due to tonsillitis.
Manager Raffaele Palladino deployed an unconventional approach last Thursday, using two sets of full-backs due to the league restrictions on new signings. This tactical decision worked out brilliantly, but it remains to be seen if Palladino sticks to that plan or opts for a more traditional setup with a full-strength squad now available.
Fiorentina are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Inter Milan, with David de Gea starting in goal. In defence, Domilson Cordeiro dos Santos (Dodo) will feature at right-back, with Marin Pongracic and Luca Ranieri forming the central defensive partnership. On the left flank, Robin Gosens will bring both defensive stability and attacking width.
The midfield pivot will comprise Yacine Adli and Rolando Mandragora, providing a mix of creativity and defensive solidity. In the advanced midfield positions, Andrea Colpani, Lucas Beltran, and Michael Folorunsho will support the attack, with Folorunsho making darting runs and Beltran offering flair in the final third.
Leading the line for Fiorentina against Inter Milan will be Moise Kean, whose physicality, movement, and finishing ability make him a constant threat. His recent form will be a key factor in Fiorentina’s efforts to secure back-to-back wins over Inter Milan.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): de Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Adli, Mandragora; Colpani, Beltran, Folorunsho; Kean
Key Stats
- This will be the 174th Serie A meeting between Inter Milan and Fiorentina. Inter have won 72 times, Fiorentina 46 times, and there have been 55 draws.
- This match takes place just four days after their midweek encounter, marking one of the shortest gaps between games in their history. The only shorter gap occurred in April 2010, when the teams played twice in three days across Serie A and the Coppa Italia.
- This is the second leg of their Serie A match-up, played just four days after the first leg. This marks only the second time in Serie A history that two teams have faced each other within such a short span during the same season. The last occurrence was in 1942/43, with matches between Liguria and Roma separated by just three days.
- After their 3-0 victory in Florence on Thursday, Fiorentina have the chance to win both seasonal league games against Inter for the first time since the 2015/16 season, when they won 4-1 at San Siro and 2-1 at the Franchi.
- If Fiorentina manage to keep a clean sheet, it would be only the second time in their history that Fiorentina win both league games without conceding, the last instance being in 2014/15.
- Inter Milan have not lost two consecutive Serie A matches since April 2023. On that occasion, their losing streak included a defeat to Fiorentina (1-0 at San Siro), with the decisive goal scored by Giacomo Bonaventura.
- Since the start of last season, Inter have lost only two of their 30 home games in Serie A (W21 D7). Among the teams that have played at least as many home matches in Europe’s top five leagues, only Juventus (1 loss) have suffered fewer home defeats than Inter during this period.
Player to Watch
Moise Kean
Moise Kean is in scintillating form for Fiorentina and will be the focal point of their attack as they aim to secure another memorable victory over Inter Milan. After netting a brace in Fiorentina’s stunning 3-0 triumph over Inter in Florence on Thursday, Kean has solidified his place as one of Serie A’s most in-form strikers. His exploits have seen him rise to the upper ranks of the Capocannoniere standings, where he is now just one goal ahead of Inter’s Marcus Thuram.
The 23-year-old is also on the brink of breaking his personal best tally in Europe’s top five leagues, which will undoubtedly be an additional motivation for him heading into this match. With Fiorentina’s creative players like Lucas Beltran, Michael Folorunsho, and Andrea Colpani providing service from midfield, Kean will have ample opportunities to capitalise on any lapses in Inter’s defence.
His confidence will be sky-high after his recent performance, and Fiorentina will rely on him to spearhead their attack and trouble the Nerazzurri backline.
Prediction
Inter Milan 2-1 ACF Fiorentina
Inter Milan’s home advantage and determination to bounce back after Thursday’s defeat for Fiorentina make them strong favourites for this encounter. Fiorentina, though brimming with confidence, may find it difficult to replicate their midweek heroics against an Inter side looking for revenge. Expect a closer contest this time around, with Inter’s attacking depth and home form likely proving decisive.
