Prediction: Inter Milan vs Napoli
Prediction: Match to end in 2-2 draw
Best Odds: 10/1
Inter Milan and Napoli will face each other in Serie A this week. The match between I Nerazzurri and I Partenopei will take place at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) and is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm UK time on Wednesday.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan won the Serie A title in 2020-21 under Antonio Conte, who is now in charge of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. The former UEFA Champions League winners ended up second in the league table season, missing out on the Scudetto to city rivals AC Milan by just two points. In 2019-20, Inter finished only a point behind eventual winners Juventus.
So, many expected Inter to challenge for the Serie A title this season, but things are not going that way. Simone Inzaghi’s side are unlikely to win the Scudetto this campaign. The Milanese club are as low as fifth in the league table now with 30 points from 15 games, as many as 11 points behind leaders Napoli.
Inter’s last Serie A match against Atalanta away from home before the 2022 Qatar World Cup on November 13. They won 3-2. It came after a 6-1 hammering of Bologna at San Siro in Serie A and followed a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Juventus in Turin in the league.
Team News:
Lautaro Martinez, who won the 2022 Qatar World Cup with Argentina, is back in training with Inter Milan and could start against Napoli alongside Romelu Lukaku, who is on loan at the former Italian champions from Premier League club Chelsea. Croatia international midfielder Marcelo Brozovic is out with a calf strain. Former Arsenal and Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan could start. Andre Onana will start in goal for Inter.
Napoli
Napoli are having a wonderful season at the moment and are the favourites to win the Serie A title. Luciano Spalletti’s side are currently at the top of the league table with 41 points from 15 matches, as many as eight points clear of second-placed and defending champions AC Milan.
Gli Azzurri last played a competitive match on November 12 before the 2022 Qatar World Cup. It was against Udinese at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona and ended in a 3-2 win for the home team. It was Napoli’s 11th successive win Serie A.
Napoli have been Serie A’s best and most entertaining team so far this season and have scored as many as 37 goals. They have conceded only 12. Striker Victor Osimhen is the top scorer in the Italian top flight with nine goals in 11 appearances.
Team News:
Victor Osimhen has been in red-hot form for Napoli so far this season, and he will continue to lead the line for the Italian club. Regular centre-back Amir Rrahmani is available again. Mario Rui should beat Mathias Olivera to a start at left-back.
Key Factors to Consider
- Inter Milan have scored 34 goals in 15 Serie A matches this season.
- Inter Milan have conceded 22 goals in 15 Serie A matches this season.
- Napoli have scored 37 goals in 15 Serie A games this campaign.
- Napoli have conceded 12 goals in 15 Serie A games this campaign.
- Lautaro Martínez has scored 7 goals in 15 Serie A matches this season.
Conclusion
Inter Milan will know that for them to retain any slim chance of winning the Serie A title this season, they have to beat Napoli. A loss or a draw would not get them anywhere. Napoli were superb before the World Cup, and it will be interesting to see if the break has affected them at all. It is very likely that this will be a very entertaining and competitive game of football and will end in a scored draw.
