Inter Milan appear to have a clear path to the Serie A title after their Derby d’Italia triumph over Juventus – but the Champions League could be a wild card.
This is the view in today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews.
If before yesterday’s match the margins were very tight at the top of the Serie A table, now not so much.
Inter are now four points clear of Juventus at the summit. And they also have a game in hand, at home to Atalanta later this month.
This is still only a margin of error worth a couple of matches.
But that still means that Inter have a larger buffer at the top than ever.
Moreover, on the pitch, Inter looked clearly superior to Juventus. And the Nerazzurri have truthfully probably done so all season.
The Nerazzurri have scored the most goals in Serie A, and conceded the fewest.
Inter have kept a clean sheet in more than half of their league fixtures this campaign.
So clearly, it would not be out of order to label the Nerazzurri as title favourites. But there could be one fly in the ointment, Tuttosport suggests.
Inter Serie A Title Favourites – But Champions League A “Wild Card”
Later this month, Inter will return to action in the Champions League.
The Nerazzurri have what promises to be a gruelling round of sixteen tie against Atletico Madrid ahead of them.
By all indications, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will not be thinking about sacrificing anything in Europe in order to focus on the league.
In all likelihood, it will be Inter’s strongest possible team against the Colchoneros.
And, if the Nerazzurri can reach the quarterfinals and beyond, that will continue to be the case.
Last season Inter reached the Champions League final. And they will surely back themselves to do so again.
But that will likely entail relying a bit more on the depth options in Serie A matches than they have so far this season.
And the risk of injuries and exhaustion to key starters will only increase.
Meanwhile, Juventus have no European football to think about.
That lighter schedule and extra training time has played in the Bianconeri’s favour already this season. And it could well come into play once again as the run-in of the campaign unfolds.