Inter Milan go head-to-head against Cremonese on Sunday evening in Serie A, with the Nerazzurri eyeing the opportunity to extend their lead at the summit of Italian football’s top division.
Inter sit atop the standings with title aspirations, while Cremonese battles to arrest a concerning run that has dragged them dangerously close to the relegation zone.
Cremonese vs Inter Milan – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 1st February.
- Kick-off: 5pm BST.
- Venue: Stadio Giovanni Zini, Cremo
Cremonese team news
Cremonese face their own significant selection challenges ahead of this crucial clash. Midfielder Tommaso Barbieri is suspended, whilst Michele Collocolo remains sidelined with a muscle injury.
Central midfielder Warren Bondo is ruled out with a thigh injury, with his return expected in mid-February. Forward Antonio Sanabria is a doubt due to physical discomfort, further stretching the already depleted resources available to manager Davide Nicola.
Inter Milan team news
Inter Milan will navigate this fixture without several key personnel due to injury concerns. Hakan Calhanoglu, the midfield orchestrator, remains unavailable through injury, as do defensive stalwart Nicolò Barella and right-back Denzel Dumfries, who is recovering from ankle surgery.
Brazilian player Carlos Augusto has been ruled out as a precautionary measure due to muscle fatigue, with coach Cristian Chivu electing not to risk a more serious issue given the packed fixture schedule.
In response to the mounting injury list, Inter have called up three promising players from their Under-23 squad—Leonardo Bovo, Matteo Cocchi, and Issiaka Kamate—providing them valuable experience around the first team.
Form
Cremonese
Davide Nicola’s side is enduring a torrid spell, collecting just three points from their last eight league matches—the lowest total recorded by any Serie A side during that period.
Most alarmingly, Cremonese have netted just twice during this eight-game stretch, both times in a single match and failed to find the target in the other seven matches. This underlines the severity of their attacking predicament.
Their most recent outing saw a 1-0 defeat away at Sassuolo, extending their winless run, with their last victory arriving nearly two months prior on December 7 against Lecce. Sitting in 14th place with 23 points from 22 matches, Cremonese hold a precarious lead of just six points over the relegation zone.
Inter Milan
Cristian Chivu’s side continues to set the standard in Serie A, extending an unbeaten league run to ten consecutive matches. The Nerazzurri delivered an emphatic statement last weekend with a commanding 6-2 dismantling of Pisa, showcasing their attack that has defined their campaign.
Inter’s lead at the summit—currently five points clear of closest challengers AC Milan—reflects their consistency this season.
Indeed, Inter have recorded the most wins and possess one of the most prolific attacks across Europe’s top five leagues, having already surpassed the 50-goal mark. Their away record remains particularly impressive, featuring eight victories on the road with just nine goals conceded across their travelling league fixtures.
Predicted lineups
Cremonese: Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Zerbin, Payero, Grassi, Vandeputte, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy
Inter Milan: Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Frattesi, Zielinski, Sucic, Dimarco; Martinez, Esposito
How to watch Cremonese vs Inter Milan?
UK viewers can tune in via TNT Sports and talkSPORT YouTube.
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