Stadio Benito Stirpe sets the stage for a sixth top-flight meeting between relegation-battling Frosinone and new Serie A champions Inter. Avoiding defeat on Friday would go a long way to boosting the home side’s elite status, with the visitors rolling into town with nothing but pride to play for.
Eusebio Di Francesco’s side shared the spoils with fellow relegation rivals Empoli last weekend. A goalless affair at Stadio Carlo Castellani saw a controversial VAR decision deny Frosinone a stoppage-time penalty. From the Canaries’ perspective, it was an injustice that could determine their fate.
Left only two points clear of 18th-placed Udinese ahead of the champs’ visit to Benito Stirpe, they must defy the odds and tradition to keep their survival hopes alive. Not only have Frosinone lost all five previous top-flight meetings with Inter, but they scored just one goal across their clashes.
However, Simone Inzaghi’s team can’t afford to underestimate their hosts after a shock 1-0 loss at second-from-bottom Sassuolo last weekend crushed their dreams of hitting a 100-point landmark. Perhaps ironically, potential relegation candidates could be the only side to take the Scudetto winners’ scalp this season.
Complacency might have crept in as Inter only mustered one shot on target at the Mapei Stadium. That’s unfathomable, knowing they touched down in Emilia-Romagna as Serie A’s most prolific attack and failed to score against the division’s second-worst backline. Redemption will be on the cards this time.
Match Preview
Frosinone
It’s not like Frosinone can realistically hope to replicate Sassuolo’s feat, but stranger things have happened. Di Francesco’s men will almost certainly not shy away from the challenge, especially at Benito Stirpe, where they’ve accumulated a substantial portion of their Serie A points in 2023/24.
As many as 78% of Frosinone’s league points this season have come on home soil (25/32), although their recent home form paints a bleak picture. Indeed, the Canaries have only won two of their last ten outings at Benito Stirpe (D3, L5), with four of their five defeats in this sequence coming against current top-half teams.
Back-to-back home clean sheets, including a spirited 0-0 draw against fourth-placed Bologna, can inspire more confidence around the Frosinone camp.
Inter
After a disappointing result at Sassuolo, Inter are staring down the barrel of two consecutive Serie A defeats since April 2023. That was their first league loss on hostile turf in 2023/24 (W14, D2), marking their first top-flight outing outside Giuseppe Meazza without scoring since February 2023.
Speaking of departing the home comforts of Meazza, Inter have lost two of their last three competitive games away from home (W1). With that in mind, the upcoming trip to Frosinone emerges as a golden opportunity to steady the ship and pack a punch, considering Nerazzurri’s long-standing dominance in this match-up.
Inter eased past the Canaries 2-0 in November’s reverse fixture. They’ve historically dominated the Lazio outfit, netting 3+ goals in three of their four previous Serie A encounters.
Team News
Frosinone can’t call upon the services of Anthony Oyono and Mateus Lusuardi. Both players are out injured, while Juventus loanee Enzo Barrenechea piled up yellow cards. First-choice goalkeeper Stefano Turati has recently struggled with injury but should make the squad, regardless.
As for Inter, veteran defender Francesco Acerbi is the only high-profile absentee. After being rested against Sassuolo, Federico Dimarco, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Marcus Thuram should return to the starting XI at the expense of Carlos Augusto, Kristjan Asllani, and Alexis Sanchez, respectively.
Frosinone vs Inter Lineups
Frosinone (3-4-1-2): Stefano Turati; Caleb Okoli, Simone Romagnoli, Pol Lirola; Nadir Zortea, Luca Mazzitelli, Abdou Harroui, Emanuele Valeri; Marco Brescianini; Walid Cheddira, Matias Soule.
Inter (3-5-2): Yann Sommer; Alessandro Bastoni, Stefan de Vrij, Benjamin Pavard; Federico Dimarco, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Hakan Calhanoglu, Nicolo Barella, Matteo Darmian; Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez.
Frosinone vs Inter Prediction
Frosinone’s Serie A life is on the line. After stitching together a six-game unbeaten run (W1, D5), the Canaries can dare to dream big against an opponent bereft of motivation. However, it’s almost impossible to expect Inter to slip up twice on the spin – against relegation-threatened sides, no less.
A point would be huge for the hosts, but they could be out of their depth here as we back Inter to return to the win column.
Prediction: Inter Win
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