As the Italian champions travel to Turin on Sunday to face arch rivals Juventus just one point behind league leaders Napoli, Inter Milan holds first place in Serie A in their sights.
Monday night’s triumph against Fiorentina set Inter right on Napoli´s heels as an exciting Scudetto fight hots up with the pair meeting off in Naples in two weeks´ time.However, the Scudetto’s destination might also be greatly influenced by this weekend’s events since Napoli has a difficult journey to fourth-placed Lazio on Saturday.
After going ahead, Napoli let Inter sneak up on them with straight draws with Roma and Udinese; Antonio Conte´s team will be without Khvicha Kvaratskhelia´s replacement David Neres, who has picked up a thigh injury and will probably be absent until early March.
But no team would more want to undermine Inter´s championship defense than Juve, more formidable adversaries than even AC Milan, and in something of a mini-revival following three wins in three in all events.
Thanks for their automatic qualification for the Champions League’s last 16, Inter benefits from a near-full week’s respite between games; Juve struggled to a 2-1 first-leg victory over PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.
That respite should assist Inter as Marcus Thuram, who was substituted early on against Fiorentina with an unidentified muscular problem, looks to be fit enough to start at the Allianz Stadium.
Should Thuram be absent, Medhi Taremi has failed to have an impact since arriving from Porto and Monday’s match-winner Marko Arnautovic is also suffering with a thigh knock. Coach Simone Inzaghi would face difficulties in attack.
After returning on loan from Paris Saint-Germain
Juve has been depending on Thuram´s France colleague Randal Kolo Muani, who has scored five times in his first three Serie A games and was unlucky not to net against PSV.
When Atalanta hosts struggling Cagliari on Saturday, Inter and Napoli presents a chance for Atalanta to force their away back into the title debate.
Five points behind Napoli in third, Atalanta will enter the field at Gewiss Stadium still incensed by the penalty ruling that cost them a 2-1 Champions League loss at Club Brugge on Wednesday.
Ademola Lookman from Gian Piero Gasperini’s side will be out at the weekend; the Bergamo-based team will surely be focused on Tuesday’s second leg of their Champions League play-off.
