Inter return to the San Siro to face tricky Samp after two consecutive high intensity matches where inordinate amounts of physical and mental effort have been expended. Kick-off on Tuesday at 20:45 CET.
Matches like this are what will define the Nerazzurri’s season, not the high-profile games against the top four but the hard fought midweek matches against top ten opposition. Inter’s mettle and ability to consistently maintain a high level of intensity will be tested to their limits against the visitors from Genoa. Sampdoria are coming off a mauling of Crotone which was preceded by an impressive win against Atalanta, so the team will be motivated and searching for the continuity of positive results.
The Nerazzurri camp will be in high spirits as well, strong performances against Milan and Napoli mean than Inter’s unbeaten start to the season continues. The risk here is that the build-up to the Napoli game might have been so thorough and intense that there’s little left in the tank for this match. Player fatigue will also be a factor here, we saw an utterly spent Antonio Candreva making way for Joao Cancelo in the previous match after the Italian international ran himself ragged for over seventy minutes. It will not be a huge surprise if Cancelo was given the nod ahead of Candreva. Inter’s midfield trio also put in a double shift last weekend and it might lead to either Matias Vecino or Borja Valero making way for Joao Mario in the starting eleven.
Milan Skriniar and Joao Miranda will have their work cut out for them defending against Serie A veterans Fabio Quagliarella and Duvan Zapata, leaving the highly mobile and skilled Gianluca Caprari to be tracked by the midfield. Polish international youngster Karol Linetty has been in fine form for Samp, the midfielder has scored in his team’s last two matches and will require special attention when coming in from the left side of the visitors’ midfield.
Should Inter manage to bag all three points here, it will further to demonstrate that Spaletti’s work with the squad goes well beyond tactics and skill but is all encompassing in its scope.
Team News
Marcelo Brozovic is still injured and will not be available for selection, otherwise, it doesn’t seem that Spaletti will have to contend with any other injuries when making the team selection.
Probable Inter line-up (subject to change): (4-2-3-1) Handanovic; Nagatomo, Miranda, Skriniar, D’Ambrosio; Gagliardini, Vecino; Perisic, Valero, Candreva; Icardi (C)
Stats
Last Season: Inter 1 – 2 Sampdoria
Last 10 Head to Head: Despite the spoils of the last ten matches between both sides being split equally with four wins each, the last five head-to-head encounters skew in Sampdoria’s favour with three wins to Inter’s sole victory.
Keep an Eye on
Mauro Icardi: Maurito had a fairly muted match at the San Paolo last week, he wasn’t given an inch by the Napoli defense and could barely control the ball without being immediately pounced on. Since his move to Inter from Sampdoria in the 2013-2014 Icardi has scored four of the Nerazzurri’s eleven goals against Samp. Expect the young hitman to be looking to get on the scoresheet on Tuesday.
Officials
Refereree: tbc
Assistants: tbc
Fourth Official: tbc
Additional Assistants: tbc
Prediction & Authors Note
Prediction & scorers: Inter 1 – 1 Sampdoria with Icardi getting the home team’s goal.
Author’s Note: This might be one of the most difficult matches for the Nerazzurri to prepare for. Sampdoria are a great side managed by a very capable coach who will have studied Spaletti’s tactics and will have a plan to counter them. Should Inter not have the intensity and mental fortitude to break down the Blucerchiati this match will not end well for the home side.
