Serie A: Inter Can Expect No Favours From Napoli

Napoli vs Inter Milan

Serie A Champions Napoli can still have a big influence on the league over the next couple of weeks, starting on Sunday when they host Inter Milan at the Stadio Diego Maradona.

Yes folks, this clash of the weekend in Italy as the visitors, who have just reached the Champions League final, need to pick up some more points to ensure they reach next season’s European showcase competition.

Of course, if they win the final then they will qualify as holders. But only the most optimistic Inter fan would count on that, as they face Manchester City, who just thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 on Wednesday night.       

So, the league is vitally important for I Nerazzurri who are currently in third place in the table, five points clear of AC Milan in fifth and one clear of Lazio in fourth.

Inter come into the game on the back of a 1-0 Champions League win over AC Milan and a 4-2 Serie A victory over Sassuolo, while Napoli fell to a 2-0 defeat away to Monza last week. 

Talking Points

Osimhen vs Martinez

With 23 goals to 20, Napoli striker Victor Osimhem is leading Inter’s Lautaro Martinez in the race for the Capocanniere.

But with three games left to play, the Argentine World Cup winner hasn’t given up yet. Martinez has scored five goals in the last four games to keep the pressure on Osimhen who has scored two in his last four.

These are two of the hottest properties in European football and Osimhen and Martinez still have their best years ahead of them.

A powerful figure, Osimhen can score the beautiful and ugly goals, and Napoli are desperate to keep him. Martinez, meanwhile, relies more on speed, but he too is lethal in the penalty area.

The two best strikers in Italy are about to go head-to-head.        

Monza reminder could help Napoli

I Partenopei conquered Italy with real panache, sweeping all before them and yet the pre-match Serie A 2023 betting odds have installed the Nerazzurri as marginal favourites.

While that won’t necessarily upset the players, head coach Luciano Spalletti may well use it as a motivation. But he shouldn’t really need too much help to get his team up for this game after they were given a mighty kick by mid table Monza last week.

I Partenopei dominated possession and won the shot counts by 20 to 10 and seven to four on target, but they were simply not ruthless enough and they will be determined to put that right against Inter.          

Inzaghi ready to shuffle his pack

Inter boss Simone Inzaghi knows how important it is for his team to finish in the top four now that they are safely in the Champions League final.

I Nerazzurri held the ace card in their Milan Derby Champions League clash on Tuesday with a 2-0 lead from the first leg and they finished the job as Martinez got on the score sheet again.

Keeper Samir Handanovic was rested and he will likely make a return against Napoli, as will Marcelo Brozovic who started the semi-final second leg on the bench.

If Inzaghi is determined to win the midfield battle, then he will prefer Brozovic over the more creative Henrikh Mkhitaryan. He also has the option of linking Romelu Lukaku up with Martinez in attack and have Edin Dzeko ready on the bench.           

History

Inter have won 21 of the 49 meetings between these two sides over the past three decades, while Napoli have won 16 and there have been 12 draws.  

Inter won the return fixture 1-0 as Dzeko rose high the meet a Federico Dimarco cross and power home the winner early in the second half. It was Napoli’s first defeat of the campaign, and so revenge will be in the air in Naples on Sunday.  

Recent form also favours the visitors who have won their last six games in all competitions, while champions Napoli have won two, drawn three, and lost one.   

But Napoli’s home record is very strong with 12 wins, three draws, and two defeats, and the home fans will make this a hostile place for Inzaghi to bring his troops.   

Betting Tip

Lazio and Milan, in fourth and fifth, will be watching the Serie A 2023 updates with interest. That is because anything other than an Inter win, at SBOTOP odds of 2.32, will do them both a huge favour.

Napoli are priced at 2.69 with the draw at 3.06, and the added incentive of exacting revenge will help the hosts. And of course, Spalletti certainly won’t want to see back to back defeats at the end of such a fantastic campaign.

 

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