Twelve points. Inter control their own fate and only need 12 points from the next 5 matches to guarantee a 3rd place finish and a 2nd consecutive qualification for Champions League, regardless of any other results around the league. But the road won’t be easy as Inter kick off the final stretch against 8-time defending champion Juventus.
While the reverse fixture resulted in a hard-fought 1-0 win for Juventus, the major difference this time around though is Juventus have little to nothing to fight for. Now out of Champions League and with the Serie A title wrapped up, manager Max Allegri may opt to field a weaker team to give squad and youth players the opportunity to log match minutes. Should that happen, Inter must be ruthless and maximize the opportunity. Regardless of who players though, this is destined to be dog fight.
Upcoming Matches:
Inter Milan vs Juventus, Saturday April 27th, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, kickoff 20:30 CET
First Team Fitness:
Marcelo Brozovic: This may be the healthiest Inter have been all season as the Croatian Regista was the only player out for this match, barring any late minute training accidents.
Brozovic suffered a thigh injury several weeks ago and was immediately ruled out for all April matches. The initial diagnosis said approximately 3 matches and this weekend will be that mark, but reports have suggested that he has begun training with the rest of the squad so he will most likely be start the match on the bench.
In the meantime, manager Luciano Spalletti will turn to his bench to find a replacement. If his previous match selections are any indication, this likely means veteran midfielder Borja Valero will get the nod over the other options.
Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario may also get the nod for his creative playmaking from the midfield but given his lack of match action after a strong run earlier in the season, he’ll likely be one of the names coming off the bench.
Avi Saini is a 27 year old medical student from California. He’s been an Inter fan since 98 after seeing the wonders of Ronaldo, who he maintains is the true greatest of all time. Avi writes a weekly medical column exclusively for SempreInter.com.