Serie A Preview: Inter vs Hellas Verona – Team News, Lineups & Prediction | OneFootball

Serie A champions Inter end their home campaign against a relegated Hellas Verona with Sunday afternoon’s dead-rubber clash at San Siro.

It’s party time at Giuseppe Meazza. Only a few days after clinching their 21st Scudetto, Inter beat Lazio 2-0 in the Coppa Italia final, securing their first domestic double since 2010. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez were on the scoresheet as Cristian Chivu equalled a feat last achieved by Jose Mourinho over a decade ago.

Fresh off becoming the first foreign manager to win the Serie A title since Mourinho, Chivu is now looking to end his highly successful first season at Inter on a high. Optimism is at an all-time high, with the Nerazzurri heading into this fixture on a ten-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W7, D3).

By contrast, Verona are preparing for life in Serie B, desperate to avoid the ignominy of finishing at the foot of the table. Sitting just two points clear of 20th-placed Pisa, Paolo Sammarco’s men must defy the odds to end an underwhelming eight-game winless league streak (D2, L6), bookended by a 1-0 home loss to Como last weekend.

It would be a mere consolation for the traveling fans, but even that feels like a tall order, given the visitors’ woeful run of form. Nevertheless, after holding Juventus to a 1-1 draw on their last road trip, the Gialloblu will fancy their chances against the best team in the country.

Team News

Inter

Despite already winning the title, Inter can make further history down the final stretch. With 27 wins to their name, they’re two short of the club’s second-best tally of 29 Serie A victories achieved in the 2023/24 season. Therefore, they must win both final games if they’re to equal that feat.

Virtually unplayable at San Siro, Inter have won nine of their last 11 home league outings (D2), with seven of those triumphs coming by multi-goal margins. Another victory is on the cards here. The Nerazzurri emerged victorious in November’s reverse fixture, extending their unbeaten streak against Verona in Serie A to 29 games (W24, D5).

Furthermore, they have defeated the Gialloblu in each of their last eight league meetings on home turf, keeping six clean sheets in that sequence. Shutting Verona out may not be imperative, given that Inter have scored on either side of halftime in 12 of their 18 home league matches this term, highlighting their unmatched attacking prowess.

Hellas Verona

The incentive of avoiding the wooden spoon could be enough to make up for a lack of motivation here, but Verona’s disastrous record against the division’s top teams points toward another underwhelming result. Indeed, Sammarco’s men have picked up just three points against teams starting this round in the top six (D3, L7).

Verona will be keen to find the net, at the very least, and avoid the ignominy of failing to score in 20 top-flight matches for the first time since the 1988/89 season. They can take confidence from the fact that they’ve scored in three of their last four away league games (W1, D1, L2). Against this backdrop, they’ve netted just one goal in five previous visits to San Siro.

A lack of entertainment has been common in Verona’s Serie A fixtures lately, with seven of their last eight league games featuring under 2.5 goals. Given the gulf in class between the sides, Sammarco would likely sign up for another low-scoring clash, as he aims to avoid a catastrophe against the champions.

Team News

With Luis Henrique back from injury, Hakan Calhanoglu remains the only high-profile absentee in the Inter squad. The Brazilian wingback may even take Denzel Dumfries’ place on the right wing, with Ange-Yoan Bonny expected to dislodge Marcus Thuram in the final third and partner up with Lautaro Martinez.

On the other hand, Verona will be without long-term absentees Suat Serdar and Daniel Mosquera. Armel Bella-Kotchap, Cheikh Niasse, and Daniel Oyegoke are also on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Gift Orban remains on the fringes after the club’s decision to suspend him due to an infamous conflict with a fan last month.

Inter vs Hellas Verona Potential Starting Lineups

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, Augusto; Henrique, Barella, Sucic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Bonny, L. Martinez.

Hellas Verona (3-5-1-1): Montipo; Edmundsson, Nelsson, Valentini; Belghali, Akpa Akpro, Gagliardini, Bernede, Frese; Suslov; Bowie.

Inter vs Hellas Verona Prediction

It’s impossible to predict anything but a landslide victory for Inter. A goal-shy Verona cannot realistically hope to defy their dreadful run in this fixture.