Stadio Brianteo sets the stage for Saturday’s exciting Serie A encounter between mid-table Monza and table-topping Inter. Both teams head into proceedings in high spirits after kicking 2024 off on a winning note.
Monza closed out 2023 on a sorrowful note, drawing a blank in three consecutive Serie A outings. Except for a scoreless draw at Napoli, they lost their other two matches in that stretch, including a 3-0 demolition at the hands of Inter’s arch-rivals Milan at San Siro.
However, Raffaele Palladino’s side couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the new calendar year. An unanswered first-half double inspired Monza to a morale-boosting 3-2 victory at Frosinone last weekend, helping them bridge the gap on sixth-placed Atalanta to five points.
Building momentum is crucial for Biancorossi’s bid to impose themselves as credible European contenders. Unfortunately, visiting Inter are not interested in making friends amid a fiercely-contested Scudetto battle against familiar foes Juventus.
Davide Frattesi scored off the bench to propel Nerazzurri to a dramatic 2-1 home win against relegation-threatened Hellas Verona last week. But Simone Inzaghi’s men were lucky to get away with three points as Thomas Henry squandered a last-gasp penalty.
With only two points separating the visitors from second-placed Juventus, anything other than three points could see them end this round in a runner-up spot.
Match Preview
Monza
Brianteo was an impregnable fortress at the beginning of the season, with Monza going unbeaten in their opening six home league matches (W2, D4). The wheels came off since the start of December, resulting in two defeats across their last three Serie A games in their own backyard (W1).
Both those losses saw Palladino’s side fall behind within the opening 15 minutes of play. Avoiding another sluggish start is imperative for Monza’s effort to avenge a 2-0 defeat in the opening round. Only the most optimistic Biancorossi fans view that as a plausible scenario.
Yet, Monza fought back twice to hold Inter to a 2-2 draw in this corresponding fixture last term. It could be a decent place to start, confidence-wise.
Inter
Last week’s triumph against Verona saw Inter crowned ‘winter champions’ for the 18th time in the club’s history. In search of good omens, they went on to lift the Scudetto on four of the five previous such occasions. However, it doesn’t mean they can afford to rest on their laurels.
Consistency has recently plagued Inzaghi’s lofty ambitions. Despite only losing one in their last ten competitive outings (W5, D4, L1), Inter have only won back-to-back games once during that sequence. On top of that, two of their four draws in that period came in Serie A away matches.
It doesn’t change the fact Inter are still the best traveling team in the league. Barring those two stalemates, they’ve won on their remaining seven top-flight travels via a combined score of 17-1.
Team News
In addition to suspended Alejandro Papu Gomez, Monza can’t call upon the services of first-choice goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and standout playmaker Gianluca Caprari. Both players are in the treatment room nursing injuries.
Jose Machin is away on international duty with Equatorial Guinea, while there’s still a question mark over Valentin Carboni’s head.
As for Inter, long-term absentee Juan Cuadrado is the only name missing from the list of travelers. Winter signing Tajon Buchanan could make his Serie A debut if Inzaghi decides to bench underperforming Denzel Dumfries, which seems unlikely.
Monza vs Inter Potential Lineups
Monza (3-4-2-1): Alessandro Sorrentino; Danilo D’Ambrosio, Pablo Mari, Luca Caldirola; Birindelli, Roberto Gagliardini, Matteo Pessina, Patrick Ciurria; Anrea Colpani, Valentin Carboni; Dany Mota.
Inter (3-5-2): Yann Sommer; Benjamin Pavard, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco; Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez.
Monza vs Inter Prediction
Monza’s defensive set-up has faltered lately, with Palladino’s side keeping just one clean sheet in their last five home league matches. That’s a potential problem for the hosts, considering free-scoring Inter roll into town on a 27-game scoring streak in Serie A.
Fans of omens would be quick to say the last time Inter failed to find the net was against Monza in April 2023. But with confidence bursting at the seams, we expect Inzaghi’s team to take home three points.
Prediction: Inter Win
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