Prediction: Verona vs Inter Milan

Verdict: Inter Milan win & Inter Milan to score over 1.5 goals

Best Odds: 19/20

Bookmaker: Unibet

Smelling a chance to lay down another marker this weekend, Inter Milan will make the trip to the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi when they meet Hellas Verona on Friday night.

Verona

Starting with the hosts, despite opening up competitive duties earlier in the month with what was a routine 3-0 romp against Serie C outfit Catanzaro in the Coppa Italia, Verona really failed to keep up that momentum last weekend. Although they might have opened last week’s meeting against Sassuolo at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi looking to lay down an early marker, Eusebio Di Francesco’s side were largely outplayed on home soil. Showing a host of issues at the back and eventually hit with an action-packed 3-2 defeat, I Gialloblu appear to be showing the same issues that haunted them at the back end of the 2020/21 campaign. Despite still managing to scrape a top-half finish in the Serie A standings last time out, Friday’s hosts failed to win any of their final nine straight contests. Knowing that they face what should be another monumental task when they welcome the defending champions to town this weekend, Verona could be bracing themselves for another long night’s work.

Team News

Missing Verona’s season opener last weekend, striker Kevin Lasagna is once again expected to miss out on Friday night.

However, while Miguel Veloso will miss out due to suspension, Kevin Ruegg has been given the green light to feature this weekend.

Inter Milan

As for the visitors, with Antonio Conte leading Inter Milan to their first Serie A title in a decade last season, the defending Italian champions now find themselves in the midst of a new adventure. Watching Conte, and Romelu Lukaku head for the San Siro exit over the summer, former Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi now finds himself in the dugout. With their sights set on trying to defend their domestic crown this time around, I Nerazzurri certainly managed to lay down a real marker last weekend. With all eyes on them as they welcomed Genoa to town, Inter opened their campaign with a thumping 4-0 romp on home soil. Signing off their pre-season preparations with a real flurry, including a 3-0 win against Dinamo Kiev in their final friendly outing, Inzaghi should be smelling a real chance on the road here. Landing a 1-0 victory the last time they faced off against Verona back in April, Friday’s guests are remarkably unbeaten in each of their last 21 straight meetings against I Gialloblu, a run that stems all the way back to 1992.

Team News

Summer arrival Denzel Dumfries is in line to make his Inter Milan debut on Friday night, even if he comes off the bench.

Given extra time off after featuring at the Copa America, attacking talisman Lautaro Martinez could feature at some point this weekend.

Key Factors to Consider

• When the two sides last faced off back on April 25th, Inter Milan picked up a 1-0 victory.
• Likewise, Friday’s guests are unbeaten in each of their last 21 straight meetings against I Gialloblu, a run that stems all the way back to 1992.
• Verona signed off the 2020/21 Serie A campaign by failing to win any of their last nine top-flight contests.
• Along with a 3-2 defeat against Sassuolo last weekend, Verona have failed to win any of their last nine Serie A matchups on home soil.
• Continuing on from last season, Inter Milan have lost just one of their last 23 top-flight contests.

Conclusion

While Inter Milan might be in the midst of a new adventure under Simone Inzaghi, the defending Italian champions managed to lay down a marker last weekend. Opening the 2021/22 campaign with a thumping 4-0 victory against Genoa on home soil, they will make the trip to the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi on Friday smelling a real chance. With summer arrival Edin Dzeko bagging himself a debut goal, a downbeat Verona might be in for another long night’s work. Last seen getting hit with an action-packed 3-2 defeat against Sassuolo as fans made their return, I Gialloblu showed some of the problems that haunted them last season. Signing off last season’s run without picking up a single win in their final nine attempts, it is hard to see anything other than another I Nerazzurri victory here.

Verdict: Inter Milan win & Inter Milan to score over 1.5 goals

Best Odds: 19/20

Bookmaker: Unibet