Inter Milan have high spot in Serie A of their sights because the Italian champions head to Turin on Sunday to tackle fierce rivals Juventus only one level behind league leaders Napoli. Monday night time’s win over Fiorentina put Inter proper on Napoli’s heels as an intriguing Scudetto battle hots up with the pair going through off in Naples in two weeks’ time. But this weekend’s fixtures may even have an enormous say within the vacation spot of the Scudetto as Napoli have a tricky journey to fourth-placed Lazio to cope with on Saturday.
Napoli have let Inter creep up on them with consecutives attracts with Roma and Udinese, each of which got here after going forward, and Antonio Conte’s crew can be with out Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s alternative David Neres who has picked up a thigh damage and can probably be out till early March.
But no crew would extra prefer to derail Inter’s title defence than Juve, larger rivals than even AC Milan and in one thing of a mini-revival after three wins in three in all competitions.
For as soon as Inter profit from a near-full week’s relaxation between matches because of their direct qualification for the final 16 of the Champions League, whereas Juve battled to a 2-1 first-leg win over PSV Eindhoven within the play-offs on Tuesday.
That relaxation ought to assist Inter as Marcus Thuram appears to be like to be match sufficient to start out on the Allianz Stadium after being substituted early on towards Fiorentina with an unspecified muscular concern.
Should Thuram be absent it might create issues in assault for coach Simone Inzaghi as Monday’s match-winner Marko Arnautovic can be combating a thigh knock and Medhi Taremi has didn’t make an affect since arriving from Porto.
Juve have been counting on Thuram’s France teammate Randal Kolo Muani who has scored 5 occasions in his first three Serie A matches after arriving on mortgage from Paris Saint-Germain and was unfortunate to not internet towards PSV.
Inter and Napoli having such robust away fixtures presents up a chance for Atalanta to power their away again into the title dialog once they host strugglers Cagliari on Saturday.
Atalanta are 5 factors behind Napoli in third and can step onto the sector on the Gewiss Stadium nonetheless angered by the penalty resolution which price them a 2-1 defeat at Club Brugge within the Champions League on Wednesday.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s aspect can have star attacker Ademola Lookman out on the weekend, when the Bergamo-based outfit will little doubt have one eye on Tuesday’s second leg of their Champions League play-off.
Player to look at: Moise Kean Italy striker Kean will line up towards Como at Sunday lunchtime hoping to assist Fiorentina proceed their push for Champions League soccer with three factors separating Raffaele’s Palladino’s crew from Lazio.
The 24-year-old is having his finest ever season in entrance of purpose and has netted 15 occasions in 23 Serie A appearances since signing from Juve final summer season.
He will take to the sector for the primary time after exposing the racist abuse he was subjected to on-line by Inter followers following Fiorentina’s defeat on the San Siro.
Key stats 1 – Napoli lead Inter Milan by a single level.
5 – the variety of objectives separating Kean from high scorer and Italy teammate Mateo Retegui.
Fixtures (occasions GMT) Friday
Bologna v Torino (1945)
Saturday
Atalanta v Cagliari (1400), Lazio v Napoli (1700), AC Milan v Verona (1945)
Sunday
Fiorentina v Como (1130), Monza v Lecce, Udinese v Empoli (1400), Parma v Roma (1700), Juventus v Inter Milan (1945)
Monday
Genoa v Venezia (1945)
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