Inter Milan vs Monaco

Stadio Paolo Mazza provides hosting rights as Inter Milan and Monaco lock horns in a tasty-looking pre-season friendly.

Last season’s Serie A runners-up Inter Milan launched their pre-season programme with an overwhelming 4-1 win in traditional summer friendly against Swiss outfit Lugano. ‘I Nerazzurri’ fell only two points short of AC Milan in a keenly-contested Scudetto race last term, as they look to regain domestic supremacy next season. Romelu Lukaku’s blockbuster return to Giuseppe Meazza, coupled with the signings of Raoul Bellanova, Kristjan Asllani and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, indicates Inter mean business. Simone Inzaghi’s men come into this encounter having won their last six matches, including a 4-2 extra-time triumph over Juventus in May’s Coppa Italia showpiece. Too hot to handle up top, they bagged 2+ goals in all six abovementioned games.

On the other hand, Monaco are miles ahead of Inter in terms of match fitness as they have already played four pre-season friendlies this summer (W2, D2). A 2-0 victory over Portuguese team Portimonense last time out saw ‘Les Monégasques’ score 2+ goals for the seventh time in nine games, highlighting their tremendous potential in the front third. Monaco’s attacking puzzle has received a couple of significant pieces this summer, as Breel Embolo and Takumi Minamino joined the club from Borussia Monchengladbach and Liverpool, respectively. They should help Philippe Clement’s side maintain their impressive scoring record on the road that has seen them bag 2+ goals in six consecutive outings outside the French principality.