Serie A Clash: Inter Milan vs Monza Preview and Predictions

Inter Milan and Monza Match Overview

On Saturday, Inter Milan, the current frontrunner in Serie A, will host Monza at the San Siro. With three nearby competitors on their heels, Inter is eager to extend their lead. Last weekend, they lost a significant chance for a win against Napoli, but they bounced back by taking an advantage in their Champions League tie. Facing the league’s bottom team, Inter is now eyeing a crucial victory.

Match Preview

Inter recently unseated Napoli on their quest to retain the Serie A title. However, they missed a prime opportunity last Saturday against their Scudetto rivals in Naples. Federico Dimarco’s stunning free-kick put Inter in the lead, potentially widening the gap to four points with 11 matches to go. Yet, a late equalizer forced them into a 1-1 draw. Following that, despite a lackluster performance, they regrouped to secure a 2-0 win away at Feyenoord in their Champions League last-16 clash, with Marcus Thuram breaking the deadlock before halftime and Lautaro Martinez adding another just minutes into the second half, taking his place as Inter’s top scorer in European competitions with 18 goals.

Still competing on multiple fronts, including an upcoming Coppa Italia semi-final against AC Milan and a narrow title race, Inter sits just six points ahead of fourth-place Juventus—this represents the slimmest lead at this point in a season since the turn of the century. With three consecutive league victories at the San Siro, Inter aims to achieve four straight home wins for the first time in a year. While they secured a 1-1 draw earlier this season in Monza due to a late goal by Denzel Dumfries, the memory serves as a caution against underestimating their struggling neighbors.

Monza’s Struggles

Monza’s only triumph at San Siro in their four Serie A visits against Inter or Milan was back in April 2023. Both teams are underperforming compared to last year, with Monza gathering just 14 points thus far, 22 fewer than the previous season, and Inter also experiencing a 14-point drop. Monza’s coach, former Milan defender Alessandro Nesta, returns to the San Siro with his team low on confidence, teetering on the edge of relegation. Their recent 2-0 defeat to Torino further distanced them from safety, and they’ve failed to find the net in their last three home matches. With a meager tally of 21 goals, surpassing only Lecce in terms of scoring struggles, Monza’s miserable campaign continues. Another loss could cement their descent to Serie B, with little hope against Inter, who are determined to make it two wins over them this season.

Current Form

Inter Milan Serie A Form: - Draw - Loss - Win - Loss - Win - Draw

Inter Milan Form (All Competitions): - Win - Loss - Win - Win - Draw - Win

Monza Serie A Form: - Loss - Loss - Loss - Draw - Loss - Loss

Team News

Amidst a packed schedule, Inter’s coach, Simone Inzaghi, may rest some key players before Tuesday’s Champions League face-off with Feyenoord. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez might sit out, though Martinez may play to boost his impressive record against Monza, having scored five goals in as many matches against them—averaging one every 67 minutes. Inter will not have several wing-backs available, but Carlos Augusto may return. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer is set to play after recovering from a thumb injury.

Monza faces a few absences as well: ex-Inter players Stefano Sensi, Roberto Gagliardini, Luca Caldirola and others are out for the match. In their pursuit of a rare goal, Nesta tried a two-striker system last game, though it didn’t yield success. Keita Balde and Silvere Ganvoula could be paired up front; Balde has history with Inter, scoring against them in past seasons and could combine with Dany Mota, who scored in the reverse fixture.

Predicted Inter Milan Lineup: Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Acerbi; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Bastoni; Correa, Thuram.

Predicted Monza Lineup: Turati; D’Ambrosio, Izzo, Palacios; Pereira, Castrovilli, Bianco, Urbanski, Kyriakopoulos; Mota, Balde.

Prediction

Inter Milan is expected to dominate this encounter with their potent attack pitted against Monza’s frail defense. Despite focusing on European ventures, Inter is projected to secure a convincing 3-0 victory, temporarily widening their lead over Napoli by four points.