ATALANTA – INTER | Sunday 12:30pm
On the final day of Serie A in 2022 one of the highlights will be served, as it should be, around lunchtime. Atalanta and Inter, the two Nerazzurri in the top flight, will be battling it out for three points, and after fourteen rounds they are tied on 27 points, out of the top four, but above all a long way from Napoli, who are eleven points behind. Both, in short, have a very small margin of error if the objective – in Inter’s case – is still to fight for the Scudetto. The Dea has lost some certainty compared to the past months and the symptom of this decline are the three defeats suffered in the last four matches: the direct clashes with Lazio and Napoli, who have violated the Gewiss Stadium for two days in a row, and the unexpected slip in the away match in Lecce, the first false step of the Bergamasks away from their public. Even the defence, all of a sudden, became less granitic: only one clean sheet in six league rounds.
Simone Inzaghi had asked for a vehement reaction from his team after the umpteenth false step in a direct clash – Inter have not won any yet – with Juventus, and it arrived punctually at the San Siro against Bologna, overwhelmed with an exaggerated 6-1 as in the past season. What was needed to erase the inadequate performances with Bayern Munich in the Champions League and with the Bianconeri in the championship, which had once again made the air heavy in the Nerazzurri environment. Also important was the fact that the attack, now the second most prolific in the tournament, was unblocked after two matches in which Inter had been without goals. Inzaghi’s team is the only one not to have drawn yet: nine wins and five defeats is the record of Lautaro and his team-mates.
Atalanta-Inter: latest line-up news
Duvan Zapata
The reason for the defeat in Lecce, according to a bit of all the insiders, is to be found in the excessive turnover decided by Gasperini. In the big match against Inter, therefore, the star players will return, from Musso to Koopmeiners passing through Toloi and Demiral. In attack, the Nerazzurri coach will give confidence to Zapata, who returned to scoring in Salento, and will flank him with Lookman, who also started from the bench against the Giallorossi. The list of unavailable players is long: de Roon, Zappacosta and Muriel will be missing.
On the other side, Inzaghi will finally get Brozovic back in the box: the Croatian should start from the 1′. Confirmation on the flanks for Dumfries and an unstoppable Dimarco, author of a double in the match that ended in a goleada against Bologna. Dutchman de Vrij is likely to return at the back, while in attack Dzeko will have the better of Correa.
The Prediction
In the match in Bergamo, Inter’s draw drought could come to an end, as they have drawn six times in their last nine meetings with Atalanta. The Dea, on the other hand, have not managed to beat their fellow countrymen since 2018, to the point that the Beneamata is becoming a real taboo for Gasperini’s team. A draw would not be out of the question, but considering the shaky moment both sides are going through and Inter’s difficulties in direct confrontations, it remains a match open to any kind of result. It shouldn’t leave much to be desired, however, in terms of goals: we expect more than two overall and at least one on each side in the Gewiss Stadium challenge.
Atalanta v Inter (likely line-up)
- ATALANTA (3-4-1-2): Musso; Toloi, Demiral, Djimsiti; Hateboer, Ederson, Koopmeiners, Maehle; Pasalic; Lookman, Zapata.
- INTER (3-5-2): Onana; Skriniar, de Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Dimarco; Dzeko, Lautaro Martinez.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
