‘Derby of Italy’ could define Inter Milan’s season

Milan – The Serie A title credentials of Inter Milan and Juventus will be on the line tomorrow as two giants of Italian football face off in a San Siro showdown.

Holding a one-point lead and a game in hand, Inter will have more than 70 000 fans roaring them on at a “Derby of Italy” which could define their season.

Simone Inzaghi’s side have been the country’s best since the start of the season and are rightly looking down on the rest of the league with comfortably the best attack and best defence.

Inter have collected 54 points from their 21 matches, just two fewer than reigning champions Napoli had at the same stage last season before running away with a historic Scudetto.

As a reward Inzaghi (right) gave his players two days off after last weekend’s 1-0 win at Fiorentina “as they deserve it”.

Juve have proven extremely hard to shake off, a team which has the knack of getting results regardless of performances.

However Massimiliano Allegri’s side, who are unbeaten since September, were held by lowly Empoli last weekend and haven’t faced a team in the top half of Serie A since the turn of the year.

Allegri has Dusan Vlahovic in hot scoring form while France midfielder Adrien Rabiot and Federico Chiesa both return from injury just in time for the biggest match of Juve’s season so far.

“Nobody expected us to be in this position at the start of the season and a draw should not cause us to lose confidence. You cannot win every game,” said Allegri.

Inzaghi meanwhile has a practically full squad to pick from, with former Juve wingback Juan Cuadrado the only player unavailable for tomorrow.

Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella return from suspension while Federico Dimarco will reclaim his spot at left wing-back after sitting out the Fiorentina win.

A four-point cushion would be very handy as next week Inter travel to Roma while Juve host struggling Udinese, while what promises to be a brutal Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid looms later in the month.

Atalanta will defend their spot in Italy’s top-four when they host Lazio just before Inter and Juve face off, as a clutch of clubs battle for Champions League football.

Lazio sit seventh but are only two points behind Atalanta, as are Fiorentina, while Roma trail them by a single point. –