As Inter Milan gear up for their highly anticipated match against Napoli, manager Simone Inzaghi finds himself with a wealth of options for his starting lineup. Following his unexpected team selection in the midweek Champions League fixture against Arsenal, Inzaghi has the luxury of further rotation, with only Carlos Augusto unavailable due to injury.
The return of experienced center-back Francesco Acerbi to full training adds another dimension to Inzaghi’s defensive choices. After being an unused substitute in the Arsenal match, Acerbi could potentially make his return to the starting eleven this weekend.
In attack, Marcus Thuram is expected to reclaim his place alongside captain Lautaro Martinez. While Martinez has a strong record against Napoli, scoring three goals in his first four league encounters with them, he’s experienced a dry spell recently, netting only once in the last eight matches and failing to score in the previous five.
Napoli, on the other hand, will rely on their potent attacking trio. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the team’s top scorer this season, will lead the charge, supported by former Inter players Romelu Lukaku and Matteo Politano.
In midfield, Stanislav Lobotka’s recovery from a thigh strain puts Billy Gilmour’s starting position in jeopardy, despite the latter’s recent impressive performances that have silenced critics like Antonio Conte.
The left-back position remains a point of contention for Napoli, with Mathias Olivera and Leonardo Spinazzola vying for the starting role. Captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo is set to maintain his position on the right flank.
Inter Milan: Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka; Politano, McTominay, Kvaratskhelia; Lukaku
