Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 3/5
Bookmaker: ZetBet
Frosinone aim to improve their prospects of Serie A survival as they host newly crowned champions Inter Milan at the Stadio Benito Stirpe on Friday night.
The Canaries are eager to avenge their 2-0 defeat suffered in the reverse fixture at San Siro back in November against the Nerazzurri, but there’s obviously a lot more riding on this game for Eusebio Di Francesco’s side.
Frosinone
Frosinone’s recent six-game unbeaten streak in Serie A has given them a glimmer of hope in their battle to avoid relegation. However, their hopes might have diminished slightly with a goalless draw against Empoli last weekend, marking their fifth draw during this run.
Despite registering 17 shots on goal, the Canaries were unable to breach Empoli’s resilient defence and settled for a single point. This draw came just over a week after their only win in their last 14 league matches, a 3-0 victory against Salernitana at home.
With just three games remaining in the season, Frosinone find themselves embroiled in a fiercely contested relegation battle. Sitting in 16th place, they are only two points clear of 18th-place Udinese, whom they will face on the final day of the campaign in what’s likely to be a season-defining fixture.
While Frosinone’s away form has seen slight improvement in recent weeks, they will be eager to return to their home stadium for Friday’s game. They have gained 78% of their Serie A points (25 out of 32) at home this season, second only to Granada in Europe’s top-five leagues on that front.
Despite their defensive solidity, which they’ve showed by keeping clean sheets in four of their last five matches, Di Francesco’s side faces a tough challenge on Friday as they have lost each of their previous five league meetings with Inter. Their record against the Nerazzurri is a truly bad one, with no wins in their last five encounters, second only to their record against Roma in terms of Serie A matches played without a victory.
Team News
Frosinone will be weakened by several absences for the upcoming match, with Stefano Turati (hand), Sergio Kalaj (thigh), Anthony Oyono (ankle), and Mateus Lusuardi (unspecified) sidelined due to injuries. Additionally, Enzo Barrenechea will be unavailable through suspension following an accumulation of yellow cards.
In Barrenechea’s absence, Francesco Gelli is expected to step in and join Luca Mazzitelli and Marco Brescianini in central midfield. The rest of Di Francesco’s lineup is likely to remain unchanged.
Nadir Zortea and Emanuele Valeri are anticipated to continue providing width as wing-backs, while the attacking duo of top scorer Matias Soule, who has amassed 11 goals this season, and Walid Cheddira, with six goals, is set to lead the line for Frosinone.
Inter Milan
Frosinone may find grounds for optimism in their upcoming clash, given Inter’s unexpected 1-0 loss to relegation-threatened Sassuolo last weekend. It marked Inter’s only second Serie A defeat of the season and their first since facing the same opponent back in September.
Armand Lauriente’s lone goal in the 20th minute sealed the victory for Sassuolo, leaving Inter unable to mount a response despite their 14 attempts on goal. However, the pale performance was a rare occurrence for Simone Inzaghi’s side, who have already secured their 20th Scudetto and are now playing for pride with a significant 18-point lead over second-placed AC Milan and three games remaining.
Despite the title already in hand, Inzaghi and his players will likely aim to avoid consecutive league defeats, a feat Inter have not suffered since April last year. The club has a chance to surpass their points total from their last title-winning season (91 in 2020/21) by securing a victory on Friday, which represents another strong motive for the champions.
Team News
With just one player sidelined – Francesco Acerbi, Inter will surely field a strong lineup against Frosinone. At the back, the trio of Benjamin Pavard, Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni is expected to remain unchanged, with Denzel Dumfries and Carlos Augusto likely to feature as wing-backs.
Upfront, manager Simone Inzaghi faces a decision between Marcus Thuram and Alexis Sanchez to partner top scorer Lautaro Martinez in attack. Martinez, who has found the net 23 times in Serie A this season, leads the race for the Golden Boot by a significant margin, with seven goals more than his closest competitor, Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic.
Conclusion
Frosinone will undoubtedly be motivated for Friday’s match, knowing that a win or two from their remaining fixtures could secure their Serie A survival. They’ll be looking to capitalize on any vulnerabilities in Inter’s game, especially considering the Nerazzurri’s recent loss to Sassuolo. If Inter’s performance isn’t up to par, the home side will be eager to exploit any opportunities to claim a valuable victory at the Stadio Benito Stirpe.
However, history favors Inter in this match, as they have dominated previous encounters with Frosinone, boasting a cumulative score of 13-1 across their last five meetings in the top flight, and they will probably find a way to bounce back from last week’s disappointment.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 3/5
Bookmaker: ZetBet
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