Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 5/6
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Inter Milan will resume their Serie A title defense with a visit to Stadio Olimpico on Sunday evening, where mid-table Roma will aim to reignite their season after the international break.
Inter entered the break riding the momentum of three consecutive wins, while their hosts have struggled to find consistency in recent matches.
AS Roma
After winning their first two league games under new manager Ivan Juric, Roma’s inconsistencies started and carried into October. A Europa League loss to Elfsborg was quickly followed by a disappointing 1-1 draw against Monza, where top scorer Artem Dovbyk found the net but couldn’t secure more than a point, leaving Roma stuck in mid-table after seven Serie A matches.
With just one point from their first two Europa League group games, Roma have work to do if they want to qualify for the knockout stage, starting with next week’s game against Dynamo Kyiv.
Amid protests against the club’s ownership by the Friedkin family and the recent departure of former coach Daniele De Rossi, following Jose Mourinho’s exit, Roma have at least maintained a reliable goal-scoring record, netting in each of their last 24 Serie A home matches. Scoring on Sunday would extend that streak to its best since the period between December 2015 and September 2017. However, Juric will likely focus on tightening Roma’s defence.
Not only does Inter possess a potent attack, but Roma also enter this fixture on the back of three consecutive losses to the Nerazzurri at Stadio Olimpico. In fact, Roma have lost six of their last eight encounters with Inter, whether home or away.
Team News
Artem Dovbyk has been cleared to play after a knee issue, which arose during his time with the Ukraine national team, threatening his participation. Additionally, Roma’s other key forward, Paulo Dybala, will also return to action on Sunday evening.
Dybala (124 goals) is closing in on Gonzalo Higuain (125) for third place among the top Argentinian scorers in Serie A, trailing only Gabriel Batistuta (184) and Hernan Crespo (153). After struggling to score in his first 10 league matches against Inter, ‘La Joya’ has found the net four times in his last seven appearances.
His return leaves only Stephan El Shaarawy and Alexis Saelemaekers sidelined, while Enzo Le Fee remains optimistic about recovering from a tendon issue in time to be available for the bench.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan’s last visit to the Stadio Olimpico ended in a 4-2 victory, a crucial win on their way to securing the Serie A title. Marcus Thuram’s equalizer in that match spurred a second-half comeback that earned Inter all three points.
In their most recent outing, Thuram scored a hat-trick in a 3-2 victory over Torino, who were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half. With seven goals in his first seven league appearances this season, Thuram joins an elite group of Inter players to achieve that feat this century, alongside Christian Vieri (2001 and 2002) and Lautaro Martinez (2022).
Although Lautaro, last season’s Capocannoniere and Copa America top scorer, has struggled for form this season, Thuram and other teammates have stepped up, with Inter averaging more than two goals per game.
Following a derby loss to AC Milan, Inter bounced back with two domestic victories and one in the Champions League. Simone Inzaghi’s side are eager to use this momentum to challenge early leaders Napoli, now managed by Inter’s former coach Antonio Conte.
Inzaghi, who has been linked to a potential future role at Manchester United, will likely be more focused on addressing Inter’s recent defensive frailties. The Nerazzurri have conceded at least twice in each of their last three Serie A matches, matching their worst such run since 2017.
Team News
Inter’s midfield maestro Nicolo Barella, who missed Nations League action with Italy, will be back in the squad this weekend. However, Piotr Zielinski is now sidelined with a thigh injury.
After some rotation during a busy autumn schedule, Simone Inzaghi is expected to field his first-choice forwards, Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, meaning Mehdi Taremi and Marko Arnautovic will start on the bench.
Among all French players in Europe’s top five leagues, only Kylian Mbappe (40 goals) has been involved in more goals than Thuram, who has contributed to 28 goals (20 goals and eight assists) since the start of last season.
Conclusion
With two more goals on Sunday, Inter could become the first team in Serie A history to score 300 goals against a single opponent, and the reigning champions are well-positioned to achieve this milestone.
The Nerazzurri have not lost an away match this season, while Roma are still developing under Juric in the early stages of his tenure.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 5/6
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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