Empoli-Inter is a match of the thirty-first day of Serie A and is played on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.: odds, predictions, TV and streaming.
Inter has just reached a historic milestone. After thirteen years, it is among the best four in Europe and in May it will compete for a place in the final in Istanbul in a goosebump Euroderby against AC Milan’s cousins. All beautiful. The problem is that next season the Nerazzurri are in serious danger of not playing it, the Champions League. Unless they lift it on the night of June 10 in the Turkish capital, the prospects are not comforting. Especially after the return of the 15 points to Juventus.
Yes, because after the ruling of the Collegio di Garanzia, issued last Thursday, the Serie A standings have been turned upside down again. Simone Inzaghi’s team is currently only sixth, with five points to make up on fourth-place Roma. A position that clashes with Inter’s ride in Europe, capable of eliminating, between the round of 16 and quarterfinals, two formidable teams like Porto and Benfica. In the league, Lautaro Martinez and his teammates are the ugly copy of those admired in the cup with big ears. Suffice it to say that in the last five days they have barely scraped together a point, moreover scoring only two goals, one of them on a penalty kick. Last Saturday they had to reckon with another defeat, even the third in a row at the San Siro: this time to come out with the three points from the Milanese stadium was Monza (0-1), thanks to a dunk by former Caldirola.
Inter take big risks
In the Champions League, on the other hand, the Nerazzurri managed to defend brilliantly the 0-2 in the first leg, preventing any comeback attempt by Benfica. The return match ended with a pyrotechnic 3-3: leading 3-1, Inter relaxed and cashed in two goals in the space of nine minutes, however irrelevant for qualification purposes.
Baldanzi vs. Cremonese
Now, before projecting himself to the return semifinal in the Coppa Italia against Juventus – they will restart from the 1-1 draw at Allianz Stadium – Inzaghi cannot make any more missteps in the league. In the Empoli trip, Inter has no alternative to three points if it still wants to hope to retake fourth place. Paolo Zanetti’s Azzurri do not evoke good memories: one of the eleven defeats they suffered in the league came against the Tuscans, who last January conquered San Siro with a goal by the jewel Baldanzi. Empoli “sees” salvation but in recent months has suffered from a lack of motivation. After yet another win by Verona, however, several teams that felt they were already safe are no longer so safe: six points separate Empoli from the relegation zone. Evident are the problems of Zanetti’s team in the scoring phase: in the last three games the Azzurri have scored one goal, remaining empty-mouthed even with a sieve defense like the one with Cremonese, which got the better of them 1-0 a week ago.
Empoli-Inter: the latest lineup news
Zanetti must again forgo his starting goalkeeper Vicario, who will also be replaced by Perisan against Inter. The coach has problems in defense: De Winter is injured and Ismajli is not at his best. Also absent is former Lazio player Akpa Akpro, replaced by young Fazzini. Up front, Piccoli and Satriano are competing for a starting jersey.
In Inter, the only one unavailable is Skriniar, who may have finished the season prematurely. Inzaghi will make turnover ahead of the challenge with Juve in the Coppa Italia and there could be several changes compared to the match with Benfica. In defense, it is a duel between Darmian and D’Ambrosio, while in midfield Calhanoglu is in a ballot with Mkhitaryan. On the left will find a place for Gosens, preferred to Dimarco. Unseen attack formed by Correa and Lukaku.
The prediction
The victory in the first leg match was Empoli’s first against the Nerazzurri since 2006, and another fact that, in theory, should comfort Inter is the fact that they have not conceded a goal in the last eight games played at the “Castellani.” The Azzurri are not yet safe and will give a hard time but for Inter this is one of the many “finals” they will play between now and the end of the season to hope to regain fourth place. Inzaghi’s men should return to success in a match that looms unprolific: rarely do we see too many goals with Empoli on the pitch. The total goals could be less than three.
The likely lineups of Empoli-Inter
- EMPOLI (4-3-1-2): Perisan; Ebuehi, Ismajli, Luperto, Parisi; Fazzini, Marin, Bandinelli; Baldanzi; Caputo, Piccoli.
- INTER (3-5-2): Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Gosens; Correa, Lukaku.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 0-2
