Forget Munich and a season in which all trophies slipped away at the last moment, to the point that it paradoxically ended with “zero titles.” The arduous task falls to Cristian Chivu, Simone Inzaghi’s successor on the Inter bench. The Romanian coach, who has already made his debut in the Club World Cup – Lautaro and his teammates were knocked out in the round of 16 by Fluminense – was certainly not the first choice, but in the end, the Milan club decided to go with him because he was able to guarantee a sort of tactical continuity with his predecessor, despite having only a few Serie A games under his belt as a coach.
Chivu is starting from Inzaghi’s foundations and a squad that, although no longer young, is still the most complete and deepest in Serie A. It is therefore not surprising that many insiders consider Inter the main contender for the Scudetto, even ahead of reigning Italian champions Napoli, who have been much more active in the transfer market.
The four friendlies played in the preseason seem to confirm this: only victories for the Nerazzurri, who give the impression of being ready for their first official match at San Siro against Torino. After yet another anonymous season ending in mid-table, the Granata want to try to raise the bar: on the bench sits a more proactive coach in Marco Baroni, fresh from a bittersweet experience at Lazio, and over the summer, many interesting players have arrived who have not had much playing time at the big clubs but who can do well in such a context, such as former Napoli players Simeone and Ngonge (the deal for Asllani, also from Inter, is practically done). Torino have already played one official match, beating Modena 1-0 in the Coppa Italia thanks to a goal from Vlasic.
Inter vs. Torino: the latest news on the lineups
Chivu has two important absences, as he has to do without Calhanoglu and Pio Esposito, who are both suspended. In midfield, therefore, Sucic will get his chance, having already shown his quality in the Club World Cup. Up front, ThuLa will be back, consisting of Lautaro Martinez and Thuram, with former Parma player Bonny ready to come on during the game.
On the other side, Baroni will opt for a 4-3-3 formation with Simeone at the center of the attacking trio: the former Napoli player will be preferred to Zapata and Adams. Ngonge and Vlasic will play on the wings, while Gineitis, Casadei, and Anjorin, the latter arriving from Empoli, will play in midfield.
Odds comparison
The “Home Multigoal 2-3” bet is priced at 1.97 on Lottomatica and 2.05 on Snai. An Inter win is priced at 1.38 on Lottomatica and Snai.
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The prediction
Inter have long been a tough nut to crack for Torino, who haven’t beaten the Nerazzurri in 12 games: the record in this run is 11 defeats and one draw. However, compared to last year, the Granata seem to have more options and can make things difficult for Chivu’s team, which is still searching for the right balance: the Nerazzurri are favored in a match with at least two goals in total. The Multigol Home 2-3 option is tempting.
Probable lineups for Inter-Torino
INTER (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Sucic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro Martinez.
TORINO (4-3-3): Israel; Pedersen, Maripan, Coco, Biraghi; Gineitis, Casadei, Anjorin; Ngonge, Simeone, Vlasic.
Will Torino manage to avoid defeat?
No (77%, 86 Votes)
Yes (23%, 25 Votes)
Total Voters: 111
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1