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

Runaway Serie A leaders Inter head to Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino to face perennial mid-table strugglers Torino on Sunday. Optimism is at an all-time high in the Nerazzurri camp following a stunning Coppa Italia comeback against Como on Tuesday.

Despite trailing Cesc Fabregas’ side by two goals to nil beyond the hour mark, Inter pulled off a miraculous turnaround to reach the final. After scoring a brace to level the score, Hakan Calhanoglu set up Petar Sucic for a last-gasp winner, earning a flattering ‘Man of the Match’ award in the process.

Though Napoli’s thumping 4-0 win over Cremonese on Friday means Inter cannot win the Scudetto this weekend, they could set themselves up for a home celebration with a win in Turin. It would take a brave man to bet against Cristian Chivu’s high-flying side here, as they head into proceedings on the back of four consecutive wins in all competitions.

While the odds remain firmly stacked against Torino here, the hosts can draw confidence from going unbeaten in their last three league outings (W2, D1). Roberto D’Aversa’s men cannot afford to rest on their laurels if they are to avoid their worst Serie A finish since the 2020/21 season, when they had to settle for a disappointing 17th place.

Indeed, they currently trail 10th-placed Sassuolo by five points. With only five games left to play, the Granata are running out of time to return in contention for a top-half finish.

Match Preview

Torino

D’Aversa has turned Torino’s fortunes around since replacing Marco Baroni in the dugout in late February. Despite overseeing his first goalless draw in seven games in charge of the club, the 50-year-old manager has steered the Granata back on track (W4, D1, L2).

Furthermore, he has helped Torino piece together their second-longest unbeaten streak this season (W2, D1) ahead of this mouth-watering showdown. Three of D’Aversa’s four wins at the helm have come at this venue, where the Granata could win four consecutive league games in one season for the first time since 2018/19.

However, the task ahead is nothing short of Herculean, with Torino losing 13 of their last 14 meetings with Inter across all competitions (D1), including a humiliating 5-0 defeat in August’s reverse fixture. That embarrassing result forms part of Torino’s ongoing eight-game losing run in this match-up.

Inter

Napoli’s victory on Friday has only postponed the inevitable, with Inter set to win their 21st Scudetto in Chivu’s first season at San Siro. The Nerazzurri will be out to re-establish a 12-point cushion and set the stage for a wild party at home next week, when they face bottom-half Parma. More importantly, all signs are pointing in that direction.

Inter have hit the ground running since the season resumed in April, winning all three Serie A games by an aggregate score of 12-5, including a dominant 3-0 victory over Cagliari last weekend. Further confidence comes from Inter’s jaw-dropping record of 12 wins from 13 away league matches against sides starting this round outside the top four (D1).

Defensive solidity has been the cornerstone of Inter’s vast success on the road this season. For context, nine of their 12 Serie A wins away from San Siro have seen them keep a clean sheet. Another similar outcome could be on the cards, given that Inter have beaten Torino without conceding in their last three top-flight encounters in Turin.

Team News

Apart from long-term absentees Zakaria Aboukhlal and Tino Anjorin, D’Aversa should have the remainder of his Torino squad fit for this clash. Indeed, veteran striker Duvan Zapata resumed full training during midweek, while starting center-back Ardian Ismajli returns from suspension.

On the other hand, Inter will be without talismanic goal-getter Lautaro Martinez. Therefore, either Ange-Yoan Bonny or Francesco Pio Esposito will partner up with in-form Marcus Thuram today. Under-fire defender Alessandro Bastoni is unlikely to feature either, with Carlos Augusto expected to take his place.

Torino vs Inter Potential Starting Lineups

Torino (3-4-1-2): Paleari; Coco, Ismajli, Ebosse; Pedersen, Casadei, Gineitis, Obrador; Vlasic; Simeone, Adams.

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Augusto; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito.

Torino vs Inter Prediction

Torino’s recent form suggests the hosts could give their more esteemed opposition a run for their money. However, with Inter firing on all cylinders, it’s almost impossible to expect anything other than another victory for the soon-to-be Serie A champions.