This Sunday, October 27th, the Giuseppe Meazza will host one of the most awaited matches of Serie A: Inter Milan vs. Juventus. On one side, Inter, who currently enjoy a positive trend, aims to increase their streak of victories and secure their second position. On the other side is Juventus, known for its robust defense, seeking recovery after their recent defeat in the Champions League.
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Confidence Is High, But Injuries Loom
Inter Milan comes into this match in good form. Having won five in a row between Serie A and Champions League, Simone Inzaghi's team is keen on continuing the good times and chipping away further at the gap at the top of the standings.
Not all, however, is fine and bright regarding Inter's lineup: the coach will be without Carlos Augusto, injured with a muscle strain and expected back only after the international break. With him, Acerbi and Çalhanoglu are also not yet recovered, still under observation. A positive return to the starting lineup comes with Bastoni and Di Marco for Inzaghi, giving more defensive stability.
Confident is the mood surrounding the classic, but Inter knows they cannot afford to drop their guard. The match with Juventus is always tricky. Even though they have finally found offensive form, carrying one of the best attacks in Serie A, they will be up against the league's staunchest defense. The keynote for the home side will be finding the gaps in Juve's defensive wall and making full use of whatever chances come their way.
Juventus: Impenetrable Defense, but Pressure on Offense
While Inter is in a good spell of form, Juventus is a bit more uncertain. Even though the Bianconeri have not lost a game yet this season in Serie A, the defeat against Stuttgart on Tuesday left a bitter taste in their mouths. The 1-0 home defeat once again brought to the fore the problems that this side has up front-something Thiago Motta will have to ponder upon ahead of Sunday's encounter.
Injuries further complicate the situation. Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz was ruled out for the match against Inter due to pain felt during one of his team's training sessions. Bremer, Milik, Nico González, and Koopmeiners will not feature in the game. Yes, these injuries will indeed change things on the pitch for Juventus, but the Bianconeri should lean on that defense consistency.
Meanwhile, Juventus has an added weapon for this classic: the return of Di Gregorio between the posts in place of the suspension he served in the Champions League. The presence of the keeper brings added security to the rear-guard, as the Bianconeri boast of being the tightest defense in the Italian league, having conceded only one goal so far. Maintaining that resolute back four will indeed be of essence for the Bianconeri against an opponent that hardly lets slip away a chance.
A Battle of Strategies and History
Coming into the game, Inter face Juventus with a rich history and extremely fierce rivalry. In their last six Serie A meetings, Juventus holds an extremely slight edge with three wins and three draws, though they did lose their last encounter 1-0 back in February, thanks to a Federico Gatti own goal. It's a match that there is always something on-no side takes any sort of favorite advantage over another.
Recent history at the San Siro suggests a somewhat divided affair. Inter have won two of their last four home games against Juventus-something that was less usual when this game was played out in earlier seasons. Even with that relative positivity, though, the Nerazzurri will have to be prepared for such volatility in these games. Juventus knows full well how to get in the way at the Giuseppe Meazza, happy to spoil the party of their hosts.
What to Expect On The Field
It should be very physical and tactical. With Inter's more aggressive style of play, they could dominate the game's tempo and use the return of Di Marco and the positive feeling in players like Lautaro Martínez to exploit Juventus' flanks. The team will try to push Juventus' defense, which has not conceded an away goal so far in the league, in order to secure an early lead that will give it control of the game's pace.
On the other hand, Juventus will most likely assume a more reactive role. Under Thiago Motta, the Bianconeri have often displayed discipline in terms of shape, with some quick vertical counterattacks-mostly against unprepared opponents' defenses. The visitors' game plan will, therefore, be to exploit Inter's mistake and take advantage of fast breaks. Indeed, pressure is mounting on Motta. The fans want an immediate response, and a win in Milan could be just the tonic Juventus needs to get its season really up and running.