Meeting for the third time this season, arch-rivals Juventus and Inter Milan will battle it out for a first-leg advantage in their Coppa Italia semi-final tie on Tuesday.
Less than three weeks since Juve sealed a Serie A double over Inter at San Siro, the teams convene again in Turin, with the hosts having just won five times on the spin and their Derby d'Italia opponents continuing to falter.
Match preview
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Closing the gap to Inter down to just six points, Juventus posted their third straight league win at the weekend, when Moise Kean's second-half strike helped the Old Lady see off relegation-threatened Verona.
Brought in from the cold following his dismissal in last month's defeat to Roma - Juve's only loss in all competitions since January - Kean finished from close range to keep his club on the coat-tails of Serie A's top six despite a 15-point penalty imposed for financial indiscretions.
Their once slim hopes of finishing in the European places, then, are growing with each success, and including their Europa League exploits Juventus have won eight of their last nine games all told.
Set to face fellow Champions League drop-outs Sporting in that competition's quarter-finals, a busy April also features their two-legged Coppa tie with Inter, to whom they lost in last year's final.
This term, the Bianconeri's route to the last four has seen them eliminate Monza and Lazio in previous rounds, and they may now fancy their chances of setting up a return to the final in May, where either Fiorentina or Cremonese will provide the opposition.
Such confidence not only arises from their own resurgent form and Inter's recent failings, but also from having tasted Derby d'Italia glory twice already this season. After Juve struck twice in the second half to win in Turin last autumn, a stunning finish from Filip Kostic split the sides at San Siro.
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For all their misfortune of late, Inter have won when it really matters in this clash of Calcio titans over the past couple of years: after beating Juventus to the title in 2021 they have won both a Supercoppa and last year's Coppa Italia final against their old foes.
However, two reverses to the Bianconeri have contributed to a terrible tally of 10 league defeats for Simone Inzaghi's side, who were beaten 1-0 by in-form Fiorentina on Saturday evening. It is the first time in six years they have lost three on the spin in Serie A.
While they are clinging on to a top-four place, as several other sides scramble around behind imperious leaders Napoli to secure European qualification, Inzaghi is now under serious pressure to salvage some silverware from a mediocre campaign.
Several big-name managers are out of work and would gladly step into his shoes at San Siro this summer, so cutting out the Nerazzurri's chronic inconsistency - which has truly kicked in since the winter break - is essential in the coming games.
The next month could prove crucial in that regard, as victory in Tuesday's Derby d'Italia would put Inter one step closer to the cup final - the semi-final second leg follows on April 26 - and an unlikely Champions League triumph is still possible, as they meet Benfica in the quarter-finals.
Having rarely drawn this season, it is generally a case of 'win or bust' for the second-city club, who have still managed to beat Milan, Porto and Coppa quarter-final victims Atalanta of late and may raise their game for the big occasion.
Team News
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Having rested several important players against Verona, Juventus boss Max Allegri is set to bring in some of his first-choice selections to face Inter. Midfield duo Adrien Rabiot and Leandro Paredes are both back from suspension, and the former will feature for the hosts on Tuesday.
After Arkadiusz Milik led the line on Saturday, chief creator Angel Di Maria or weekend match-winner Moise Kean should instead start in support of Dusan Vlahovic up front, though the latter has scored just three times in his last 11 league matches.
Allegri will be without Paul Pogba once again, while Federico Chiesa continues to be troubled by niggling injuries following his comeback from a long-term layoff and will join returning captain Leonardo Bonucci on the bench.
After being hauled off against Verona, Enzo Barrenechea is likely to lose his place to Rabiot, with Filip Kostic also set to return from the start.
Meanwhile, Inter defender Milan Skriniar is still sidelined by a back problem and Hakan Calhanoglu - who picked up a muscular injury while representing Turkey last month - also misses out.
Following his withdrawal from the Italy squad, Federico Dimarco was unavailable at the weekend, but he should now replace Robin Gosens on the left flank of Simone Inzaghi's trademark 3-5-2.
At the apex of that formation, Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez could return in tandem, with Romelu Lukaku and Joaquin Correa's partnership producing below-par results on Saturday.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Perin; Danilo, Bremer, Gatti; De Sciglio, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Di Maria; Vlahovic
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Handanovic; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Gosens; Martinez, Dzeko
We say: Juventus 1-0 Inter Milan
Often a tempestuous affair, the most recent Derby d'Italia saw both teams have a man sent off at the end as scuffles broke out, so bad blood may affect how Tuesday's game plays out. There is every chance that red could be flashed again, as 1-0 specialists Juventus take a slim lead to Milan following a cautious first leg.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
