The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is the venue where Inter and Roma go head-to-head in one of the most exciting Serie A games of the weekend. With both sides still falling short of their goals for the season, there will be a lot at stake in this top five six.
Inter come into the game with confidence after a stunning 3-0 win over bitter rivals Milan in midweek Coppa Italia action. After reaching the grand final of the competition for the first time since 2010/11, the Nerazzurri continue to hope for their first national double in over a decade.
Roma will look to thwart the game and keep up their faint hopes of closing a five-point gap on fourth-placed Juventus. The visitors’ bid to qualify for next season’s Europa League is still up in the air, let alone their Champions League hopes, although much could change in the season finale.
Inter
Inter have won their last three games in Serie A with an aggregate score of 6-1, as many league wins as in the previous ten games. Along with Fiorentina and Udinese, Simone Inzaghi’s side are one of just three sides to have won all of their Serie A games played in April.
That Nerazzurri confident of maintaining the upward trend as they are unbeaten in their last nine Serie A matches against Roma (win6,draw3). Almost two and a half decades have passed since then Giallorossi most recently ten H2H Serie A games without a win, thanks to a ten-game winless streak against Milan between 1988 and 1996.
Inter defeated Roma 3-0 in the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico to secure two straight H2H league victories. Another win would see them win three consecutive Serie A games against the Olimpico side for the first time since 1999. Despite being undefeated in their last four H2H top flight games at Meazza, three of them finished tied (Win 1).
Roma
Stephan El Shaaraway equalized at the last minute and saved Roma a 1-1 draw at holders Napoli last time out. Although a dramatic stalemate came knocking in Naples Giallorossi After a three-game winning streak in Serie A, they will go into the field with confidence.
On this matchday, Roma went on to have their best run in the league in Serie A with 12 unbeaten runs (W7 L5), their longest streak of this kind in the competition since May 2016. Much of the credit for their rich form goes to a rock-solid defence, keeping four clean sheets in their last seven league games and conceding exactly once in the other three games.
Since the disastrous 3-1 defeat by Milan in early January, Roma have alternated between wins and draws in their last six away league games (3 wins, 3 draws). It is worth noting, however, that those three wins came at the expense of teams currently stuck in the bottom half of the table.
Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal remains Inter coach Inzaghi’s only injury concern ahead of this game. The reigning Serie A champions will turn to in-form striker Lautaro Martinez to lead the way at Meazza following his victorious performance against Milan.
The Argentinian striker scored a brace in the first half to set the stage for Inter’s morale-boosting triumph over their nemesis. Next to Martinez in the front third, Joaquin Correa could stand in place of the ex-Roma star Edin Dzeko, who is suffering from low form.
Roma are without suspended striker Nicolo Zaniolo. However, Mourinho will welcome Euro 2020 hero Leonardo Spinazzola back to the squad for the first time this season, although the Italy full-back is more likely to start on the bench.
Interpotential starting XI (3-5-2): Samir Handanovic; Stefan de Vrij, Milan Skriniar, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Hakan Calhanoglu, Ivan Perisic; Lautaro Martinez and Edin Dzeko.
Roma Potential Starting XI (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibanez; Rick Karsdorp, Bryan Cristante, Sergio Oliveira, Nicola Zalewski; Lorenzo Pellegrini, Henrikh Mkhitaryan; Tammy Abraham.
