Inter Milan vs Napoli

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is the venue as Inter Milan and Napoli go head-to-head in a mouth-watering Serie A showdown.

Inter have strung together four straight Serie A matches without defeat (W2, D2) since losing 3-1 at Lazio in mid-October, scoring first on each occasion in that run. However, after winning just 58.33% of their Serie A fixtures this season (7/12), the reigning Italian champions trail league pacesetters, AC Milan and Napoli, by seven points. Therefore, ‘I Nerazzurri’ can ill-afford to drop the points against the southern visitors they have defeated ‘to nil’ in their last three top-flight H2Hs at home. By extension, Inter have registered a clean sheet in six of their previous eight Serie A H2Hs at this venue, suggesting they could be hard to penetrate here. Worryingly, though, current manager Simone Inzaghi laments a dreadful 70% loss ratio against Napoli in Serie A (7/10).

In the meantime, Napoli have hit a purple patch under Luciano Spalletti, going unbeaten in their opening 12 Serie A matches this term (W10, D2). Spalletti’s men have been almost unbreakable at the back, conceding a league-low four goals so far, as they are the only side in Italy’s top-flight yet to let in double digits. Additionally, ‘I Partenopei’ head into proceedings on the back of a resounding 21-match unbeaten run in Serie A (W16, D5), last losing to Juventus in April. Though they’ve only conceded the opening goal in 25% (3) of their 12 Serie A outings this term, falling behind may not prove detrimental to Napoli’s hopes of beating Inter in the league for the first time since May 2019. The visitors have won two of the three Serie A games in which they conceded first this term (D1).