Serie A Preview: Inter vs Fiorentina – Team News, Line-ups & Prediction | OneFootball

Stefano Pioli’s job is on the line as out-of-sorts Fiorentina travel to Stadio San Siro to take on Inter in a high-stakes Serie A clash. Wednesday’s encounter has all the makings of a ‘make or break’ fixture for the 60-year-old manager.

Inter’s morale took a series of hits in recent days. After a controversial 3-1 defeat at Napoli halted Inter’s impressive seven-game winning streak in all competitions, Serie A designator Gianluca Rocchi suspended referees Maurizio Mariani and Daniele Bindoni for an erratic display at the Maradona Stadium.

Indeed, Mariani paid the price for awarding a ‘non-existent’ penalty to the Partenopei in Saturday’s intense Scudetto six-pointer. The atmosphere at Appiano Gentile took another hit yesterday. Second-string goalkeeper Josep Martinez was involved in a tragic car accident, which resulted in a loss of life.

Martinez hit an 81-year-old elderly man on his way to training, with the victim passing away on the scene. Though witnesses confirmed it wasn’t the Spaniard’s fault, the former Genoa star is reportedly still in shock. This unfortunate event has left the entire Nerazzurri squad in shock ahead of Fiorentina’s visit to San Siro.

It’s been an awful start to the season for La Viola, who are still waiting for their first league win under returning boss Pioli. Fiorentina hauled back a two-goal deficit to share the spoils with Bologna in a dramatic 2-2 draw last weekend, securing only their fourth point in the opening eight rounds.

Therefore, Pioli cannot afford another slip-up against his former club, with the Tuscan underachievers heading into proceedings stuck in the relegation zone.

Match Preview

Inter

With Napoli sneaking into the win column against Lecce last night, Inter must treat this meeting as a must-win clash. Indeed, Cristian Chivu’s men trail the Serie A pacesetters by six points ahead of the kick-off. Needless to say, anything less than victory would leave the Nerazzurri further adrift in the title race and pile additional pressure on the 45-year-old’s shoulders.

Despite boasting a flawless three-game record in the Champions League under Chivu, Inter have struggled in Serie A. The 20-time champions have already lost three league matches this season (W5), with only five sides conceding more goals than Inter’s 11 after the opening eight matchdays. As such, Chivu must match a historic feat to lead Inter to the Scudetto this term.

Massimiliano Allegri was the last manager to win the title after losing three games in the first eight rounds. He did so during his tenure at Juventus in 2015/16, and Chivu must now replicate that feat to steer the Nerazzurri back to the throne. Addressing Inter’s defensive woes is imperative, considering his side failed to keep a clean sheet in eight of their last ten home league outings.

Fiorentina

Downtrodden Fiorentina have gone winless in the first eight rounds of a Serie A season for the first time since 1977/78 (D4, L4). Although they won the ninth match on the only other occasion, La Viola’s chances of repeating history look rather slim. For starters, they must address their travel sickness.

Fiorentina have secured just two wins across their last 12 away games in Serie A (W2, D4, L6). Moreover, three of their four league trips under Pioli this season ended all square (L1), with La Viola scoring a dismal average of 0.5 goals per match. As if that’s not concerning enough, the visitors have lost their last two away meetings with Inter via an aggregate score of 6-1.

Standing on the precipice of a third consecutive loss at San Siro for the first time since 2018, Fiorentina can ill-afford another slow start. However, Pioli’s charges have failed to score before halftime in seven of their last nine league outings, highlighting the need for a more energetic approach from the first whistle.

Team News

Except for long-term absentees Christian Kouame and Tariq Lamptey, Pioli will have the rest of his Fiorentina squad fit for this tenure-defining showdown. Star striker Moise Kean will lead the line, with Albert Gudmundsson expected to join him in attack at the expense of former Inter ace Edin Dzeko.

As for the Nerazzurri, talismanic center-forward Marcus Thuram remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Veteran midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is also unavailable after suffering a thigh problem against Napoli, with Petar Sucic tipped to take his place in the starting XI.

Inter vs Fiorentina Potential Starting Line-ups

Inter (3-5-2): Martinez; Akanji, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Dimarco; Martinez, Esposito.

Fiorentina (3-5-2): De Gea; Comuzzo, Mari, Ranieri; Dodo, Mandragora, Nicolussi Caviglia, Ndour, Gosens; Gudmundsson, Kean.

Inter vs Fiorentina Prediction

Despite recent setbacks, Inter remain in pole position to take all three points and return to winning ways immediately after Saturday’s heartbreak. Fiorentina will not go down without a fight, but the visitors are up the creek without a paddle and seem destined to help the Nerazzurri restore a feel-good factor at San Siro.