Reigning champions Inter Milan will seek back-to-back Serie A wins on Friday, as they welcome Lombardy rivals Atalanta BC to San Siro.
After stumbling in their 2024-25 season opener, Inter saw off Lecce last week, when La Dea missed a last-gasp penalty and lost in Turin.
Match preview
© Imago
Having started their Scudetto defence with a 2-2 draw in Genoa earlier this month, Inter were keen to get up and running with victory over likely Serie A strugglers Lecce when the teams met in Milan last weekend.
Matteo Darmian found the net after just five minutes to put the Nerazzurri in control, and Hakan Calhanoglu later wrapped up three points by scoring from the spot - his 17th straight penalty conversion in Serie A.
A routine 2-0 win preserved Inter's 12-year streak of never losing their first home fixture, and the second-city giants have posted victories in each of the last six seasons.
Following a relatively kind start to the fixture list, Simone Inzaghi's side must now tackle one of Serie A's toughest tests in their final match before the international break.
The champions remained unbeaten against all of their top-five rivals en route to the title, so Inzaghi will be intent on continuing in that vein this term - starting with a Friday night contest against Atalanta.
Recent history is certainly on their side, as Inter cruised to a 4-0 win when the clubs met at San Siro last season - with Darmian also opening the scoring on that occasion - and last lost a league game to La Dea back in 2018.
© Reuters
In fact, Atalanta are winless in their last 11 top-flight matches against Inter, who clearly hold the upper hand in the sides' Lombardy rivalry.
While they may have come up short against their fellow Nerazzurri, the Bergamo club are still punching above their weight in Italy and beyond, having secured another top-five finish last season and claimed a first-ever European trophy.
Gian Piero Gasperini - who once had a brief, unsuccessful spell as Inter boss - masterminded their impressive Europa League triumph, but a tough summer in the transfer market has undermined hopes of a fast start to the new campaign.
With stars such as Teun Koopmeiners engineering an untimely exit - in addition to other key men being struck down by injury - Atalanta followed up UEFA Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid by beating Lecce 4-0 in their league opener.
However - despite new signing Mateo Retegui scoring again - Mario Pasalic missed a stoppage-time penalty that would have snatched a 2-2 draw with Torino last time out.
Now, the Bergamaschi must face another away fixture while their Gewiss Stadium home is still being renovated - and perhaps the hardest one of all.
- D
- W
- W
- L
- L
- W
- L
Team News
© Imago
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi can recall captain Lautaro Martinez, after a muscular problem ruled last season's Capocannoniere out of action last week.
Former Porto striker Mehdi Taremi started against Lecce, but 'El Toro' should now resume his partnership with Marcus Thuram up front.
Meanwhile, Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij has returned to full training and could join summer signing Piotr Zielinski on the bench, but Tajon Buchanan is still sidelined by a leg injury.
Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini will continue to fill several holes in his squad, as Teun Koopmeiners has joined Juventus and El Bilal Toure recently left for Stuttgart, while goalkeeper Juan Musso is off to Atletico Madrid.
Furthermore, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca are both long-term absentees, while Sead Kolasinac and Mitchel Bakker will be unavailable this weekend.
Experienced duo Rui Patricio and Juan Cuadrado have arrived, though, and fellow new boy Raoul Bellanova will fight it out with Davide Zappacosta for selection at wing-back.
After scoring three goals in his first two Serie A games for La Dea, Mateo Retegui links up with ex-Milan forward Charles De Ketelaere in the final third.
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; De Roon, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, Ederson, Pasalic, Ruggeri; Brescianini, De Ketelaere; Retegui
We say: Inter Milan 2-1 Atalanta BC
Inter have yet to hit last term's peak - understandably at this early stage of the season - but they should still see off the threat of unpredictable Atalanta.
While La Dea finished 2023-24 like a train, they have since been hit by disruption to their squad and can sometimes be caught out at the back.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
