Mid-table perennials Genoa come off a hard fought but impressive loss to cross-town rivals Milan in attempt to unseat Inter as the main contender for second place in the table. Match on Saturday at 15:00 CET.
Having just done away with Lazio in highly impressive fashion, and with the crucial midweek Champions League match against Barcelona looming in the near distance, it is easy for the Nerazzurri and Luciano Spaletti to think of the match against Genoa as somewhat of a forgone conclusion. However, if the Grifoni’s match against Milan on Wednesday can teach us anything, it is that Genoa are absolutely no pushovers. Their young attacking duo of the Senegalese Christian Kouame and current league top scorer Krzysztof Piatek ran the Rossoneri defense ragged, and with the support from Serie A experienced wing backs Darko Lazovic and Ervin Zukanovic, Genoa have the ability to stretch the play in order to break up any opposing side’s defensive compactness.
For the Nerazzurri, the match represents a point at which they can really display their maturity in an ability to manage the squad through a very tough string of matches across two competitions. Should Spaletti be able to take all three points here with minimal effort or damage and with comprehensive rotation he will have put down a strong marker to the entire league to show that Inter really mean business.
Spaletti will probably continue to play with the formation that has served Inter so well thus far; keeping the core duo of Matias Vecino and Marcelo Brozovic. Borja Valero will probably be deployed in the trequartista role behind the attacking trio of wide-men Keita Balde and Matteo Politano and whichever striker is used. What is most impressive about Inter this year is the depth of the squad, insofar as predicting the forward line has become a tricky affair with a whole host of options available to Spaletti as solutions. In the lone striker role, we might see Mauro Icardi rested and Lautaro Martinez given his chance to start. Either way, if Icardi does play, don’t expect him to be on the field for the full ninety minutes.
Team News
In a repeat of last week, Inter go into the match with almost the entire squad but Radja Naiggolan at Spaletti’s disposal. The Belgian midfielder has restarted training with his teammates and hopes to be available for selection against Barcelona midweek, otherwise, expect Mauro Icardi to be rested in order to have him at his physical best next Tuesday.
Probable Inter line-up (subject to change): (4-2-3-1) Handanovic (C); D’Ambrosio, DiVrij, Skriniar, Dalbert; Vecino, Brozovic; Keita, Valero, Politano; Lautaro (C)
Stats
Last Season: Inter 1 – 0 Genoa
Last 10 Head to Head: The last ten matches between Inter and Genoa present a curious statistic; both sides have won five matches with the home team having won every encounter.
Keep an Eye on
Lautaro Martinez: The consensus in the media points to the fact that the Argentinean prospect will feature in the match, either as a starter or a long playing substitute. In either case, expect El Toro to throw everything in his wheelhouse to make sure he rectifies a poor showing against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Officials
Referee: Paolo Valeri
Assistants: Perti, Cecconi
Fourth Official: Serra
Additional Assistants: Abisso, Giallatini
Prediction & Authors Note
Prediction & scorers: Inter 3-1 Genoa with Lautaro, Keita and Politano bringing home the dough
Author’s Note: Despite the fact that the sacking of Davide Ballardini was one of an already trigger happy league’s most eyebrow raising managerial changes, the returning Ivan Juric seems to have hit the ground running, if not in terms of actual results, then at least in terms of performances. Spaletti must make sure that his sides’ mental preparation is top notch.
