Andrea Pirlo of Juventus
Inter Milan will take on log leaders Juventus in a mouth watering Serie A clash this Saurday. A game they cannot afford to lose as the Nerazzurri remain in search of a Champions League spot. Juventus are nine points clear of second place Napoli and with just five games remaining after this, three points will logically secure the title.
Inter Milan have been in terrible form in the league with just two wins from their last eight games. Andrea Stramaccioni’s men sit seventh on the log with a game in hand and are seven points off AC Milan who occupy third spot. The Nerazzurri were impressive in their last game against Tottenham in the Europa League last 16, with the match ending 4-1 after extra-time. Despite that magnificent comeback to overturn a disappointing 3-0 deficit from the first leg, they were knocked out on the away goals rule. Their last league match against Sampdoria was postponed due to bad weather and they suffered a 1-0 loss at home to Bologna in their previous fixture. Inter have struggled for consistency at home winning just seven of their 14 league matches at the San Siro. Diego Milito was the man bagging the goals for Inter but the Argentine is out for the season after suffering a crucial ligament injury to his left knee. Rodrigo Palacio has been the go to man since, scoring nine goals so far this season and he will be looking to step up to the plate in this mammoth encounter.
High flying Juventus face two of their toughest fixtures of the season over the space of just four days. After the champions take on Inter in the Derby d’Italia on Saturday, they travel to Munich to take on Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. A 2-0 away win over Bologna in their last league outing took their title defence a step closer. Goals from striker Mirko Vucinic and midfielder Claudio Marchisio sealed the win. Discipline and defensive solidity are two qualities that Antonio Conte’s men have. Conte’s 3-5-2 formation works because it fits his best 11 like a glove. It allows Juve to field their three world class centre backs, gives Andrea Pirlo two dependable bodyguards in Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio, creates a ton of space for the team’s stable of athletic wing backs and puts players like Sebastian Giovinco and Mirko Vucinic right in front of goal, where they have to worry less about filling lanes and can focus exclusively on creating chances. The Turin outfit have demonstrated a certain resistance to hostile atmospheres between their domestic and European adventures this season, performing confidently on the road even when faced with the venomous hordes at the Stadio San Paolo (Napoli), Donbass Arena (Shakhtar), Stamford Bridge (Chelsea), and Celtic Park. They have lost just twice on the road in their 14 league matches.
Inter managed a surprise 3-1 away win in the first round match. However, they are going through their worst patch of form this season. Juventus have lost just once in their last 12 matches and are tipped to get revenge here.
