Former Serie A leaders Inter are looking to get back to winning ways after six matches without victory when they travel to face Fiorentina at Artemio Franchi Stadium on Friday. Inter won the reverse fixture 3-0 in August with two goals from Mauro Icardi and another from Ivan Perisic. The last five direct matches between these two sides produced three or more goals each, while last season Fiorentina won 5-4 against Inter at home after having lost 4-2 at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan.
Fiorentina have been a tough nut to crack this season, they are undefeated in their last eight league matches and are just three points behind sixth-placed Sampdoria. On December 30 they managed to hold AC Milan to a 1-1 draw just four days after having lost 1-0 to Lazio in the Italian Cup quarter-finals. Fiorentina have lost just two matches at home all season, against Roma and Sampdoria. German Pezzella is the only injury worry for head coach Stefano Pioli, who will most likely field his favourite starting eleven.
Inter had a great start to the season, they even climbed to the top of the Serie A table, but then they choked. Luciano Spalletti's men have not won a match since the start of December, that is six games without victory in all competitions. Moreover, they lost 1-0 after extra-time against rivals AC Milan in the Italian Cup quarter-finals on December 27. Three days later they were held to a goalless draw at home by Lazio, so leaders Napoli are now seven points away. Danilo D'Ambrosio and Miranda are injured and won't be able to play on Friday.
Probable line-ups:
Fiorentina: Sportiello - Laurini, Pezzella, Astori, Biraghi - Benassi, Badelj, Veretout - Chiesa, Simeone, Thereau
Inter: Handanovic - Cancelo, Skriniar, Ranocchia, Santon - Gagliardini, Vecino - Candreva, Valero, Perisic - Icardi
My prediction: Inter to win 3-2.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Fiorentina win - 2.75
Draw - 3.20
Inter win - 2.70
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Comments (1)
sharpe
01/11/18, 08:01:45 PM
Inter really slow the tempo in the last weeks but without being too overproud I could say I've expected that and even mentioned it many times in my comments here. Just...
Inter really slow the tempo in the last weeks but without being too overproud I could say I've expected that and even mentioned it many times in my comments here. Just don't think they have large number of class player neither a style to assure them too long period of good results which would be half a season and beyond. Don't see them being a title contender this season.
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