Betis-Inter is a friendly and will be played on Saturday at 18:00: news, analysis, live TV, streaming, formations, predictions
Two tests have already been faced by Inter since the Nerazzurri’s training camp resumed, once the short break due to the World Cup was over. Handanovic and his team-mates spent the first part of the pre-season training camp in warm Malta.
On the small island, in the middle of the Mediterranean, Simone Inzaghi’s men first overwhelmed local side Gizra United 6-1. Forty-eight hours later, they repeated with a 4-0 thrashing of Austrian side Salzburg, who only a few months ago had faced AC Milan’s cousins in the Champions League group stage (and who will attempt to block Mourinho’s Roma in the Europa League in February). Without Lautaro Martinez, who could become world champion with his Argentina team on Sunday, and without Brozovic, who at the same time as the match with Betis will be involved in the final for third and fourth place with Croatia, the coach is rehearsing in view of the delicate challenge on 4 January against Napoli, the leaders.
A match not to be missed if the objective is to try to get back into the Scudetto race: currently, in fact, Inter are -11 from the troop led by the former Luciano Spalletti. With Betis, now a reality both nationally and internationally, it will therefore be a real game. The Sevillians, coached by the experienced Manuel Pellegrini, are the fourth force in the Spanish La Liga and last Saturday they won 1-0 in the friendly against Manchester United.
Inzaghi will also be without Lukaku and Onana, two others back from the World Cup, and in attack he will go with the ‘odd couple’ formed by the class of ’05 Carboni and the veteran Dzeko.
Pellegrini
The Prediction
Inzaghi expects answers already from these friendlies and it would not be surprising if his Inter side, who appeared in great form in the matches in Malta, should also get the better of the excellent Betis. Both should score at least one goal on each side.
Betis-Inter’s likely line-up
- BETIS (4-1-4-1): Rui Silva; Montoya, Akouokou, Luiz Felipe, Moreno; Ruiz; Luiz Henrique, Fekir, Canales, Rodri; Iglesias.
- INTER (3-5-2): Handanovic; Skriniar, Acerbi, Bastoni; Bellanova, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Carboni, Dzeko.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2