Several weeks ago I wrote about how the month of February was a do or die test for Inter if the club had actual prospects of winning the Scudetto.
With how inconsistently the team has played throughout the season, it was fair to wonder if this team could actually get it done.
Though the month did see some Coppa Italia heartbreak, Antonio Conte kept a perfect record in Serie A for the month with vital wins over Fiorentina, Lazio, and, most impressively, formerly league leading AC Milan.
Last weekend’s massive 3-0 derby victory was a signal of intent from the team and they now control their own fate moving forward 4 points clear of the competition.
But the month is not over yet. This weekend’s upcoming match against midtable Genoa seems like it should be an easier 3 points but in reality it is far from a guarantee.
Since taking over Genoa, manager Davide Ballardini’s team hasn’t lost in the previous 8 matches. This Genoa team continues to fly pretty high and Conte must ensure everyone has a killer mentality.
Upcoming Matches:
Inter vs Genoa, Sunday February 28th, Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, kickoff 15:00 CET
First Team Fitness:
Arturo Vidal: The Chilean midfielder had suffered from a minor knee injury he picked up at the beginning of the month and managed to make a minor 85th minute substitute appearance last weekend. He looks to be back and available for full selection.
However it is likely he will remain a bench option this weekend as Christian Eriksen has taken firm control of the starting job.
Stefano Sensi: The Italian midfielder continues to struggle with muscular fatigue he suffered during training last week. He wasn’t available for selection last week against Milan, but reports suggest he’s increased his training intensity and he may be available for selection this weekend.
However, the chances of seeing him get significant minutes even from a bench role remain slim.
Achraf Hakimi: One of the most vital players from this season’s team will unfortunately not be available this weekend.
During last week’s Derby della Madonnina the Moroccan wing-back pick up his 5th yellow card and is suspended as a result. His presence will undoubtedly be missed but both Matteo Darmian and Danilo D’Ambriosio should be available to provide quality cover for this match.
