Serie A Preview: Inter v Sampdoria

Walter Mazzarri will be looking to inflict defeat on one of his former clubs when Inter host Sampdoria on Sunday.

The Inter head coach spent two years with the Genoa-based team from 2007 to 2009 – earning sixth and 13th place finishes in Serie A – before taking the reins at Napoli ahead of the 2009-10 campaign.

However, Mazzarri will put any sentimental feelings to one side at San Siro as he looks to extend his current side’s unbeaten Serie A run to seven games.

Inter sit fourth in the table after 13 matches, but they were held 1-1 at lowly Bologna last time out.

That fixture at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara saw Inter go behind after just 12 minutes courtesy of a fine effort from Panagiotis Kone, before Jonathan Moreira levelled soon after half-time.

Mazzarri could be without defender Yuto Nagatomo for visit of Sampdoria after he picked up a muscle injury at Bologna.

Sunday’s match at San Siro will see ex-Inter defender Sinisa Mihajlovic take charge of his second Sampdoria game after Lorik Cana’s injury-time equaliser denied him victory against another of his former clubs, Lazio, in his first fixture at the helm.

Cana’s leveller denied Sampdoria their first win since a 1-0 success over Atalanta on October 26 and leaves them in 18th place, with just two wins from 13 Serie A fixtures this term.

Midfielder Nenad Krsticic was dismissed for two bookable offences against Lazio, meaning he is suspended for the trip to a ground Sampdoria have not won at since December 1996, when they secured a 4-3 victory.

The corresponding fixture last season ended 3-2 to Inter, with Diego Milito, Rodrigo Palacio and Freddy Guarin on target for the hosts while Gianni Munari and Eder replied for Sampdoria.