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Inter welcomes Fiorentina to San Siro on Sunday, October 25, looking to extend its unbeaten start to the Serie A season. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 PM CET.
Inter has collected 19 points from seven matches, while Fiorentina has only four. The home side’s attacking record makes this a particularly difficult assignment for a visitor that has struggled badly in defense.
Verdict: Inter -1.5 handicap
Best odds: 21/20
Bookmaker: 1xBet
Inter has won six of its opening seven Serie A matches, with a draw completing an unbeaten start.
Its home performances have been especially convincing. Cristian Chivu’s side has won all four league games at San Siro and scored 15 goals in those matches.
That gives Inter a strong foundation for this fixture. Fiorentina has conceded more goals than any other team in the division, so sustained pressure around the visitor’s penalty area should produce opportunities.
Inter also showed that it can recover from a difficult start in last weekend’s 3-1 victory at Bologna. Marcus Thuram equalized before Carlos Augusto and Ange-Yoan Bonny completed the comeback.
Wednesday brought a different type of victory. Inter beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in the Champions League, with Carlos Augusto scoring the decisive goal after Alessandro Bastoni’s dismissal.
Winning that match with ten men was encouraging, although it also added to the physical demands of a busy schedule.
The absence of Lautaro Martinez reduces Inter’s attacking options, but the recent goals from Thuram, Bonny and Carlos Augusto show that others can contribute.
Inter should look to stretch Fiorentina across the width of the pitch. If the visitor’s midfield drops too close to its defense, Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella should have room to dictate the next attack.
Lautaro Martinez remains unavailable with a thigh injury. Benjamin Pavard, Curtis Jones and John Stones are also listed among Inter’s absentees.
Francesco Pio Esposito is expected to return to the starting lineup after remaining unused against Shakhtar. Thuram is a likely partner, with Bonny offering another option.
Bastoni’s European dismissal does not rule him out of this Serie A fixture. Chivu can also call on Manuel Akanji, Yann Bisseck and Carlos Augusto in defense.
Barella and Calhanoglu should be important in midfield, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Piotr Zielinski give Chivu choices as he manages the workload.
Federico Dimarco remains an option to provide width and deliveries from the left. The final selection could include changes following the demanding Champions League match.
Fiorentina’s start has been worrying. Five defeats from seven league matches have left Paolo Vanoli’s side with little room for another setback.
The defensive numbers explain much of the problem. Fiorentina has conceded 17 goals and has yet to keep a clean sheet in Serie A this season.
Its latest defeat came at home to Como. Marin Pongracic briefly brought Fiorentina back into contention after it fell two goals behind, but the visitor eventually won 3-1 at the Artemio Franchi.
That followed a 2-1 loss at Genoa, leaving Fiorentina with consecutive defeats since the international break.
There is some attacking encouragement. Fiorentina has scored in each of its last five league matches, and its only victory of the campaign came in a 4-2 win at Venezia.
The problem is that even scoring has rarely been enough to secure points. Against an Inter side averaging three league goals per match, those defensive weaknesses become particularly significant.
Vanoli will need his midfield to protect the space in front of the center-backs without leaving the striker isolated. Simply clearing the ball and waiting for the next Inter attack would make it difficult to relieve pressure.
Fiorentina could still create chances, especially if Inter commits players forward. Keeping the game close over 90 minutes looks like the greater challenge.
Fabiano Parisi and Arthur Atta remain unavailable according to the latest team news.
Luca Ranieri’s condition also needs assessment. He could be restricted to a place on the bench, with Pongracic continuing alongside Radu Dragusin in central defense.
David de Gea should start in goal. Alex Jimenez is an option at full-back, while Viery and Victor Valdepenas are competing for a place on the left.
Nicolo Fagioli and Cher Ndour are likely to have important roles in midfield. Their ability to retain possession could help Fiorentina avoid spending long periods defending its penalty area.
Franco Mastantuono and Pedro Goncalves provide creative options behind the striker. Mateo Pellegrino is favored to lead the attack, with Beto available as an alternative.
Inter’s home record and Fiorentina’s defensive problems provide the strongest reasons to support the handicap.
Lautaro’s absence matters, and the midweek Champions League match could influence Chivu’s selection. However, Inter has continued to find goals through several players and has enough midfield quality to keep creating chances.
Fiorentina’s recent scoring record suggests it could contribute a goal of its own. That makes Inter’s ability to maintain pressure particularly important, because a narrow lead may not be comfortable.
The visitor has conceded at least twice in six of its seven league matches. Against this Inter attack at San Siro, another difficult defensive afternoon looks likely.
Inter to win by at least two goals is the best selection.
Verdict: Inter -1.5 handicap
Best odds: 21/20
Bookmaker: 1xBet
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