Milan (AFP) – Inter Milan’s Serie A lead can be on the road on Saturday when the champions journey to Napoli for an additional big conflict with a title rival.
Defeat in final weekend’s Milan derby pulled Simone Inzaghi’s Inter again to their pursuers, the hole between them and each second-placed Napoli and neighbours AC Milan lower to only a level earlier than the massive journey south.
With Milan, internet hosting Sampdoria on Sunday, in positive kind after thumping Lazio 4-0 within the Italian Cup on Wednesday, Inter face the intense prospect of being dumped down to 3rd ought to they lose on the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Inter did bounce again on Tuesday by beating Roma to arrange one other pair of Milan derbies within the two-leg semi-finals of the Italian Cup, however Inzaghi is in little question of the hazard Napoli current to their title defence.
“We all know that they’re a very good group who saved maintain of all their finest gamers (in January). They’re a contender for the title,” mentioned Inzaghi, who’s suspended after ranting at referee Marco Guida within the stormy aftermath of the Milan derby.
Boosting Napoli’s possibilities of claiming prime spot is the potential return of their African backbone, with defensive lynchpin Kalidou Koulibaly and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa again in Italy from the Africa Cup of Nations. Star striker Victor Osimhen got here again early and has discovered scoring kind.
It was Osimhen’s strike, his first for the membership since mid-October, final weekend at Venezia which set Napoli up for a bumper fixture with Inter.
Osimhen has to put on a particular masks to play after smashing his cheekbone in a sickening conflict of heads with Milan Skriniar the final time the 2 sides confronted off in November, when Inter simply held on for an exhilarating 3-2 victory.
The 22-year-old confirmed no indicators of taking part in with titanium implants in his cheekbone and eye socket when he crashed residence an ideal header on the Venice lagoon and is prepared for presumably the largest match of his group’s season.
Juventus have an opportunity to cement their grip on a Champions League place on Sunday night time once they tackle prime 4 rivals Atalanta in Bergamo.
January signings Dusan Vlahovic and Denis Zakaria fired Juve into fourth, two factors above Atalanta, final weekend after Gian Piero Gasperini’s aspect slumped to a shock residence defeat by the hands of lowly Cagliari.
Gasperini additionally misplaced centre ahead Duvan Zapata for no less than two months with a thigh harm, and with Josip Ilicic wrestling with psychological well being issues, Luis Muriel will bear the accountability up entrance in a packed couple of weeks which incorporates their Europa League tie with Olympiakos.
The one bitter notice for Juve is captain Giorgio Chiellini’s calf harm, though Leonardo Bonucci will step in to make his first look because the winter break after recovering from a muscle drawback.
Participant to look at: Kalidou Koulibaly
Napoli are hoping for the return of rock Koulibaly, who captained Senegal to their first ever Africa Cup of Nations title final weekend.
Koulibaly arrived in Naples on Wednesday and must be obtainable to start out his first Napoli match since tearing a hamstring in a pricey draw at Sassuolo at first of December.
After his harm Napoli misplaced prime spot within the league however are hoping for a return to the summit with Koulibaly holding off Italy’s finest assault.
He has change into such an admired determine in Naples that town’s sport councillor Emmanuela Ferrante mentioned she would really like him to be given honorary citizenship.
Key stats
1 – only a single level separates Italy’s prime three groups.
11 – Variety of Napoli video games missed by Koulibaly since his harm at Sassuolo.
Fixtures (occasions GMT)
Saturday
Lazio v Bologna (1400), Inter Milan v Napoli (1700), Torino v Venezia (1945)
Sunday
AC Milan v Sampdoria (1130), Empoli v Cagliari, Genoa v Salernitana, Verona v Udinese (all 1400), Sassuolo v Roma (1700), Atalanta v Juventus.
Monday
Spezia v Fiorentina (1945)
