Inter Milan vs Genoa

Inter Milan’s defending Serie A campaign gets underway this weekend as they welcome Genoa to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in their league curtain-raiser.

A truly inspirational 2020/21 season saw Inter Milan accrue over 90 league points (91) for only the second time in the club’s history en route to ending Juventus’ nine-year tenure in Serie A. However, ‘I Nerazzurri’ have since gone on to part ways with top-scorer Romelu Lukaku, prolific right-back Achraf Hakimi, and title-winning manager Antonio Conte. It’s now up to new boss Simone Inzaghi to retain the crown and help Inter extend their unbeaten run in their opening home matches of a new league campaign to nine (W6, D2). The hosts head into proceedings having won their last 16 home Serie A fixtures. Moreover, Inter finished last season as one of just two sides to win all home league games in which they drew first blood (14).

Meanwhile, Genoa registered their best point tally in five Serie A campaigns last season to ensure an 11th-place finish as they only side to win every league match in which they were in front at half-time (7). However, a trip to the Giuseppe Meazza is likely to stir some painful memories amongst the Genoa faithful, with ‘Il Grifone’ going winless in their last 13 top-flight meetings with Inter here (D1, L12). On the bright side, the visitors have won their previous two away Serie A fixtures and could equal the club’s best-ever such run if they beat Inter ‘to nil’ this weekend. There’s a good omen, though, with Genoa going unbeaten in their last five Serie A openers in a row (W3, D2), including a 4-1 victory against Crotone in 2020/21.