Verdict: Lautaro Martinez to score
Best odds: 4/1
Bookmaker: Betfair
Sampdoria will be playing host to Inter Milan at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa on Monday evening, in what will be one of the final two matches of the 22nd round in the Serie A season. This is a duel between two teams from the opposite ends of the table, and needless to say, points are vital for both.
Sampdoria
It will also be an important and likely very emotional moment for the Sampdoria head coach, Dejan Stankovic.
Having spent nine very fruitful years wearing the shirt of the Nerazzurri, the 44-year-old former Serbia international has already made his return to the Giuseppe Meazza as the Sampdoria coach back in October, but this will be the first time he welcomes his old club to his new home. Nonetheless, Stankovic will have to put aside those feelings on Monday and do the best he can in leading his current team against Inter.
Sampdoria are currently in a difficult situation, facing a desperate battle for Serie A survival between now and the end of the season. Standing second from the wrong end of the table, with just 10 points from 21 league games, they only have Cremonese below. With Hellas Verona ahead on 14 and Spezia currently occupying the last place to warrant survival on a tally of 19, things don’t look too promising.
Therefore, it it hardly surprising that Stankovic’s men avoided defeat just once in their last six matches in all competitions, a 2-2 draw away to Monza last week. Before that, they lost five on the trot: 0-2 at home against league leaders Napoli, 1-0 away to Fiorentina in the round of 16 of the Coppa Italia, 1-0 away to Empoli, 0-1 at home against Udinese, and 2-0 away to Atalanta. The rot has to stop soon, or Stankovic might find himself under severe pressure.
Team News
The Serbian tactician won’t be able to count on Mehdi Leris covering the right flank. The 24-year-old wingback has been booked 10 times this season and is suspended. Winger Ignacio Pusseto and midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri are absent through injury.
With Emil Audero in goal, Bruno Amione, Bram Nuytinck and Koray Gunter will form the back three. Harry Winks and Michael Cuisance are expected to pair up in the middle of the park, with Tommaso Augello on the left, and in the absence of Leris, Napoli loanee Alessandro Zanoli on the right. Strikers Manolo Gabbiadini and Sam Lammers should have Filip Djuricic in support.
Inter Milan
It’s probably too late for Inter to be thinking about the Scudetto. Napoli are taking the league by storm, running away at the top with a 16-point advantage over Inter in second place after their victory over Cremonese on Sunday. However, the “best of the rest” title is still up for grabs and while it’s not nearly as appreciated as actually being crowned as champions, it’s important for the confidence of a team under the circumstances, quite apart from guaranteeing a place in the Champions League next season.
But in order to stay directly behind Napoli, Inter (43 points) have to win the race against Atalanta, AS Roma and city rivals AC Milan (all on 41), as well as Lazio (39).
In that aspect, the 1-0 triumph in the Milan Derby last week could prove a crucial moment in the season, as Lautaro Martinez struck in the 34th minute. It was their second triumph over the Rossoneri in less than a month, and their fifth victory in the last six matches in all competitions. That run includes a 1-0 home win over Verona, the 3-0 win over Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana, a surprising 0-1 home defeat to Empoli, a 1-2 win away to Cremonese, a 1-0 win over atalanta, and that 1-0 win over Milan.
Team News
The only issue Inzaghi needs to work around at the moment is a thigh problem which could see Joaquin Correa be left out.
Andre Onana will be in goal, with Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni at the back. Marcelo Brozovic and Nicolo Barella are usually the midfield pair, with Hakan Calhanoglu further up, Matteo Darmian on the right and Federico Dimarco on the left. Upfront, Edin Dzeko could be given a rest to make way for the freshly returned Romelu Lukaku, bringing back the famous partnership between the Belgium international and Martinez, which led the Nerazzurri to the Scudetto in 2020/21.
Conclusion
Inter will probably win this match without major difficulties, and of all the teams Sampdoria have lost to this term, this one will hurt Stankovic probably the least. The man most likely to get on the scoresheet will be Martinez. The World Cup winner has been on terrific form recently, scoring four goals in the last four league games.
Verdict: Lautaro Martinez to score
Best odds: 4/1
Bookmaker: Betfair
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