Huge Derby d’Italia
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Last weekend in Serie A we were treated to a clash between the league leaders, Napoli and defending champions Juventus.
This weekend, thanks to the way the results panned out last week, we have another clash between the league leaders and the defending champions. This time the challengers to Juventus are top of the table Inter Milan and they will travel to the Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Prior to last Friday night, Juventus’ championship hopes were hanging by a thread as they travelled to league leaders Napoli.
The hosts started the match unbeaten in Serie A and defending an excellent home record. However, Juventus turned up and delivered a performance worthy of champions. They defended well when required and took their best chance when it arrived.
Juventus spent big money to secure the services of Gonzalo Higuain and once again the Argentine forward delivered against his former club, scoring the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 for his team.
Trends show Juventus have won their last three home Serie A matches and have lost only one of the last twenty-seven at the Allianz Arena.
Recent games have seen Juventus return to their best in terms of defence and they have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four games in all competitions, including away from home to Napoli and at home in the Champions League against Barcelona.
Juventus have scored 2 or more goals in seven of their last nine home Serie A games.
Inter Milan travel to Turin having taken over top spot from Napoli last weekend thanks to their excellent 5-0 win over Chievo Verona at the San Siro.
The dropped points at home in a 1-1 draw with Torino a few weeks ago have slipped into the memory as the Inter Milan faithful start to believe they can return to the top of Italian football this season.
Inter Milan have been impossible to beat so far this season and have yet to taste a loss in fifteen Serie A games.
Away from home trends show Luciano Spalletti’s team are unbeaten in seven Serie A matches, winning five and drawing two. Only once on the road in Serie A this season have Inter Milan failed to score a goal and that was in a 0-0 draw with Napoli.
However, Inter Milan have found clean sheets difficult to come by and have kept just one in seven away league games this season.
Looking ahead to the team news and Juventus will be without full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner, central defender Benedikt Howedes and midfielder Marko Pjaca. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is doubtful and will be a big miss.
Inter Milan travel with a fully fit squad and with no suspensions to worry about. Spalletti is likely to start with Mauro Icardi up-front with support from Ivan Perisic, Antonio Candreva and Borja Valero.
Lazio have shown Juventus can be beaten at home in Serie A this season and if Buffon doesn’t make it, there is every chance Inter Milan could take something from this match in a low scoring draw.
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