Napoli-Inter is a match of the thirty-sixth day of Serie A and is played on Sunday at 6 pm: lineups, predictions, TV and streaming.
Inter is one of three Italian teams to snatch a ticket to the European finals this week, in addition to Roma and Fiorentina. On Tuesday, Simone Inzaghi’s men wrote an important page in the history of the Nerazzurri club, beating their cousins AC Milan also in the return semifinal with Lautaro Martinez’s decisive goal and returning to the Champions League final for the first time in thirteen years.
Next June 10, the coach from Piacenza will try to retrace the footsteps of Jose Mourinho, the last coach capable of taking Inter back to the roof of Europe, but the feat is one of the impossible ones: in Istanbul, the Nerazzurri will contend for the cup with the big ears against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, which at the moment is probably the best team in Europe and proved it only a few days ago by taking a beating of none other than Real Madrid. In any case, there will be time to think about the final: now Inter, capitalizing on the euphoria of the double win in the Euroderby, must focus on the Champions race and try to secure third place. That could soon become second if, as is likely, Juventus is penalized again because of the capital gains case. Still, Inzaghi has a non-trivial margin over fifth, of five points. Thanks to the string of victories that began exactly a month ago in the match with Empoli: since then Inter has not stopped and the one with Milan in the cup was the eighth consecutive success.
The Spalletti case breaks out
Lautaro Martinez and his teammates will go in search of decisive points for a top-four finish at home to Italian champions Napoli.
Spalletti
The Neapolitan environment is already preparing for yet another celebration, that of the official ceremony in which the Scudetto cup will be handed over, but just in these hours the Spalletti case has broken out. In addition to sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, in fact, one of the main architects of the championship triumph, the man who helped bring the tricolor back to Naples 33 years after the last time, could also leave. Between the Tuscan coach and President De Laurentiis there would be strong misunderstandings over the renewal of his contract. And, according to rumors, he will most likely resign at the end of the tournament. In the meantime, the team seems to be already with its head to the vacations and the defeat, the first in the league since the 0-4 against AC Milan a month and a half ago, at home to Monza certifies the physiological relaxation of the newly crowned champions: the 2-0 remedied in Brianza and the fact that for the eighth match in a row Napoli cannot score more than one goal is proof that the partenopei have now pulled the plug. And that, above all, they are running out of energy.
Napoli-Inter: the latest lineup news
Both Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia, the two stars of this Napoli team, should take the field without any problems. The Nigerian has recovered from the flu and will lead the attack as usual, while the Georgian has been working on the sidelines due to a blow received during training. Should they fail to make it, Politano and Raspadori are ready. On the left lane is Olivera.
Inzaghi will have to do without Mkhitayran, who came off with an injury in the semifinal with Milan: the Armenian will be preserved ahead of the Coppa Italia final with Fiorentina. In his place is Calhanoglu, who will return to play as a wing half, taking advantage of Brozovic’s return to directorship. Lukaku, who was outstanding against Sassuolo, and Correa should play in attack.
The prediction
Fatigue will most likely rule in a challenge that, in fact, has value only for Inter. The Nerazzurri need to rest after the cup exertions, Napoli is no longer the brilliant one of a few months ago. Therefore, low rhythms are expected – and certainly much less intense than in the first leg, which ended in one of the Azzurri’s few defeats – although this time both should score on at least one occasion. A draw is not to be ruled out: it could also suit Inter.
The probable formations of Napoli-Inter
- NAPOLI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Kim, Olivera; Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Elmas, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.
- INTER (3-5-2): Handanovic; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Dimarco; Lukaku, Correa.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
