Stadio Giuseppe Meazza types the backdrop for Sunday’s mouth-watering Serie A encounter between Inter and Roma. Lega Calcio rightfully determined to postpone this fixture – beforehand scheduled for Saturday – to honor the funeral of the late Pope Francis.
An additional relaxation day might do properly for Inter after their ‘treble’ dream evaporated in midweek Coppa Italia motion. Certainly, Milan vanquished Simone Inzaghi’s lofty aspirations with a dominant 3-0 win in the second leg of their blockbuster semi-final tie, heightening the stress on the Nerazzurri down the ultimate stretch of an intense Serie A marketing campaign.
Final weekend’s last-gasp 1-0 defeat at Bologna blew the Scudetto race broad open, permitting second-placed Napoli to attract stage on factors. With a dreaded title playoff in play ought to the edges end tied, Inter can ailing afford extra setbacks in what guarantees to be a nerve-shredding run-in. Nevertheless, there’s extra distraction ready across the nook.
Inter will tackle Barcelona within the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie solely days after Roma’s go to to San Siro. Claudio Ranieri’s fees can depend on brisker legs as they bid to avenge a slim 1-0 loss in October’s reverse fixture, which shaped a part of an terrible run of seven defeats from 9 Serie A video games.
Nevertheless, Roma are again on monitor after a dismal first half of the season and commenced this spherical solely three factors shy of fourth-placed Bologna. The duty forward is nothing in need of Herculean, but when there was a time for the Giallorossi to halt their four-match shedding streak in opposition to Inter, it’s now.
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Inter
Fatigue might be catching up with Inter. Battles on a number of fronts have seemingly taken their toll in latest video games, with Inzaghi’s facet displaying indicators of wear and tear and tear each bodily and mentally in opposition to Bologna and Milan. Bologna’s late triumph at Renato Dall’Ara knocked the Nerazzurri down from a seven-match unbeaten league run (W5, D2).
Nevertheless, they will draw coronary heart from their imperious house type in Serie A forward of this must-win contest. They’ve gained their final six league matches at Meazza regardless of solely holding one clear sheet in that sequence. But it surely’s value noting that 5 of these six victories got here in opposition to groups beginning this spherical within the backside half of the desk.
Nonetheless, Inzaghi’s free-scoring frontline has proved able to offsetting all defensive shortcomings. Serie A’s most prolific assault (72) stays the one workforce within the division to hit a 70-goal barrier. Moreover, Inter have netted 2+ objectives in eight of their final 9 house league outings, highlighting their unparalleled scoring prowess.
Roma
In distinction to Inter’s eye-catching exploits, Roma have bagged exactly one aim of their final 5 away league matches. Nevertheless, that didn’t cease them from taking 4 consecutive wins in that sequence earlier than a dramatic 1-1 draw in opposition to Lazio within the newest version of the well-known Derby della Capitale final outing.
That outcome types a part of Giallorossi’s jaw-dropping 17-game unbeaten streak in Serie A (W12, D5), bookended by a hard-fought 1-0 house triumph in opposition to Hellas Verona every week in the past. Subsequently, from the ignominy of the decrease reaches in mid-December, Roma can realistically hope to safe Champions League qualification for the primary time since 2018/19.
Reaching that feat will possible require Roma to discover uncharted waters down the ultimate stretch. Ranieri’s males have didn’t win any of their six away league encounters in opposition to groups beginning this spherical within the prime half of the desk in 2024/25 (D4, L2). Whether or not they can buck that development at Inter’s house stadium stays debatable.
For context, Roma have solely gained as soon as on their seven top-flight visits to Meazza for the reason that begin of 2018 (D3, L3).
Crew Information
With Piotr Zielinski and Denzel Dumfries again to full coaching, Inter have obtained a double health enhance forward of this conflict. Nevertheless, Marcus Thuram stays on the sidelines, whereas the Nerazzurri misplaced Alessandro Bastoni and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to suspension in opposition to Bologna final weekend.
In the meantime, Roma will make this journey north with out talismanic ahead Paulo Dybala and skilled defender Victor Nelsson. Confidence stems from Lorenzo Pellegrini’s restoration from a shoulder damage, although he ought to keep on the bench.
Inter vs Roma Potential Beginning Line-ups
Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Augusto; Zalewski, Barella, Calhanoglu, Frattesi, Dimarco; Arnautovic, Martinez.
Roma (3-5-1-1): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Ndicka; Saelemaekers, Cristante, Paredes, Kone, Angelino; Soule; Dovbyk.
Inter vs Roma Prediction
Roma’s defensive resilience has been off the charts in 2025, with the Giallorossi conceding a league-low eight objectives this calendar 12 months. That might spoil Inter’s quest so as to add to their intimidating 27-goal haul in the identical timeframe and in the end scoop up three valuable factors.
Certainly, it’s nearly unattainable to miss Roma’s unbelievable type underneath Ranieri, making us consider they will take at the least a degree at Meazza.
Prediction: Draw
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