Prediction: Inter vs Juventus

Verdict: Total goals under 2.5

Best odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: 888sport

In Serie A’s highly anticipated Sunday night showdown, Italy’s top two teams, Inter Milan and Juventus, will face each other in the eagerly-awaited Derby d’Italia.

The clash takes place at San Siro, with Inter currently leads Juventus by a single point in the standings, and the Nerazzurri also have the advantage of one game in hand.

Inter Milan

Inter Milan enter the clash against Juventus in superb form, securing five consecutive victories, including two in Saudi Arabia to defend the Supercoppa Italiana. They are yet to fail to win a match since the turn of the year.

The Nerazzurri’s recent string of victories has positioned them to match a feat achieved 17 years ago – winning their first six games of a calendar year. By scoring in their next fixture, they could become only the second club in Serie A history to score in 22 straight games from the beginning of a season, a record currently shared with Juventus.

Under the guidance of Simone Inzaghi, Inter Milan have consistently found the net in all 21 of their top-flight fixtures this season. Despite Juventus’ recent resurgence, Inter remain the favorites to top the league, especially after claiming their third consecutive Supercoppa last month by defeating Napoli.

As the Scudetto race seems to be developing into a two-horse contest with AC Milan trailing behind, the stakes are incredibly high for this edition of the Derby d’Italia. Although Inter have enjoyed success in cup competitions against Juventus, beating them in the Serie A has proven to be a more challenging task in recent encounters.

Team News

Inzaghi faces no major absences in the upcoming clash. The only notable absentee will be ex-Juventus wing-back Juan Cuadrado, who is sidelined due to injury.

For the hosts, Italy internationals Francesco Acerbi and Federico Dimarco are expected to return to the starting XI. Additionally, Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu are back in action after serving suspensions.

Captain and top scorer Lautaro Martinez is set to partner with Marcus Thuram up front. Martinez has already scored 19 goals in 19 league appearances this season. If he scores one more Serie A goal, which is obviously inevitable at this point, he will become the third Inter player to achieve 20 goals in three consecutive campaigns.

Juventus

The reverse fixture between these teams in November ended in a 1-1 draw, with goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Lautaro Martinez seeing the points shared in Turin. Juventus have accumulated seven points from their last three league meetings with Inter.

A victory at San Siro would propel Juventus above Inter and back to the Serie A summit, which is obviously what the Bianconeri will be gunning for, not only on Sunday, but for the rest of the season. With 53 points already secured, Juventus have achieved this points total in 10 previous occasions at this stage of the season, leading to a first-place finish each time. It’s certainly a morale-boosting fact from their point of view, but they will, of course, be aware that their rivals are not to be taken lightly.

Juventus enter the fixture with confidence, having secured seven wins in eight games across all competitions. Despite a 1-1 draw with Empoli in their last outing, Allegri’s team remains focused on narrowing the gap to Inter. The experienced coach is on the verge of reaching the milestone of 1000 points in Serie A, and a victory in the upcoming clash would achieve this feat while lifting Juventus to the pinnacle of the league standings – it would truly be a day to celebrate.

Team News

Juventus’ leading goal-scorer, Dusan Vlahovic, didn’t score in any of the seven previous games against either Milan club at San Siro. However, the Serbian striker is in prolific form, having scored five goals in his last three outings. With Arkadiusz Milik suspended, Vlahovic is nailed-on to start in the upcoming clash.

In the winter transfer window, Juventus signed Carlos Alcaraz on loan from Southampton, an Argentinian midfielder who is likely to start on the bench. Adrien Rabiot, recovering from a calf problem, may be available to play in the match.

Federico Chiesa is still dealing with a muscular issue but could potentially feature as a substitute. However, Moise Kean will not be involved after a move to Atletico Madrid fell through due to a failed medical.

Conclusion

Both Inter (13) and Juventus (12) have shown plenty of defensive strength through the ongoing league campaign.They’ve kept more clean sheets than any other team (Inter 13, Juventus 12), conceded the fewest shots on target and shipped the fewest goals.

Caution is expected to be prioritized in this highly anticipated match at San Siro, with neither side reckless enough to tempt fate by committing too many bodies in attacking areas.

Verdict: Total goals under 2.5

Best odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: 888sport