As we round into the second half of the 2020-2021 Serie A season, the pressure continues to build for everyone.
The top 6 teams are separated by a maximum margin of 9 points with 4th place Juventus and 5th place Napoli holding a match in hand that could vault them to 3rd and 4th place on the table respectively.
But after this week’s Coppa Italia loss against Juventus, Antonio Conte must be beginning to feel more pressure than everyone else. Known for bringing success to every club he’s ever managed, he has failed to bring silverware to Inter Milan.
The semifinal loss at home makes the road to silverware that much more difficult. His squad also continues to fail to capitalize on chances to leap their bitter rivals in the table.
The next month of fixtures is crucial for the club as they have a number of tough matches across all competitions they remain in.
Conte’s managerial abilities and the club’s mental fortitude will undoubtedly be tested. As fans, all we can do is wait and hope for the best with bated breath.
Upcoming Matches:
Fiorentina vs Inter, Friday February 5th, Artemio Franchi Stadium, kickoff 20:45 CET
Juventus vs Inter, Tuesday February 9th, Allianz Stadium, kickoff 20:45 CET
First Team Fitness:
In a rare turn of events the club does not have any players injured or presently suspended for the upcoming week’s matches.
With a full squad at his disposal, it’ll be interesting to see how Conte manages his players. One has to assume he wants silverware so a full strength squad will likely be lined up to play against Juventus.
In that situation it would be reasonable to assume some of the rotation players will be given a start against Fiorentina, or, at minimum, be introduced as a substitute earlier in the match to give star players an opportunity to rest.
