Inter Milan is set to begin their new Serie A campaign against Monza on Saturday at their home ground San Siro.
Cristian Chivu’s men will be eager to start their campaign on a positive note and continue their impressive pre-season performance.
Inter Milan vs Monza – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 22nd August.
- Kick-off: 5:30pm BST.
- Venue: San Siro, Milan.
Inter Milan team news
Inter Milan enter their opening league fixture at San Siro with a robust and nearly complete squad under head coach Cristian Chivu.
The reigning Italian champions are largely free of injuries, giving the manager immense tactical flexibility as they begin their Scudetto defense.
However, the Nerazzurri must navigate one notable squad gap, as experienced midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is serving a disciplinary suspension carried over from the final stretch of the previous campaign.
This minor setback is balanced by a heavily revamped defensive line following a major summer overhaul.
High-profile signing John Stones, and Manuel Akanji are widely expected to spearhead the central defense, stepping into the roles vacated by departed mainstays like Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij.
Up front, captain Lautaro Martínez remains the focal point, though his workload may be shared with emerging forward Francesco Pio Esposito.
Monza team news
Monza face a heavily depleted squad as they mark their return to top-flight football under newly appointed manager Ivan Jurić.
The Biancorossi travel to Milan burdened by a massive deficit in personnel, missing crucial leadership and attacking flair.
Club captain Matteo Pessina is completely ruled out for the next four months following a severe knee injury, creating a gaping hole in their central midfield setup.
Compounding this selection crisis, Dany Mota and goalkeeper Demba Thiam are unavailable due to suspensions.
To fill these critical gaps, Jurić is expected to lean on fresh faces and temporary reinforcements.
Inter-owned midfield loanee Ebenezer Akinsanmiro is tipped to step directly into Pessina’s role against his parent club, while former Milan striker Patrick Cutrone and young Portuguese international Gustavo Varela look to lead a makeshift attacking line at the San Siro.
Form
Inter Milan
Inter Milan enter the new campaign in excellent form after claiming a domestic double last season. Under manager Cristian Chivu, the Nerazzurri carried that momentum directly into their summer pre-season schedule. They went unbeaten across their summer warm-up fixtures, playing out high-profile 1-1 draws against Manchester City and AC Milan, followed by a 2-1 victory over Juventus. They wrapped up preparations with a 1-0 win over Real Betis.
Monza
Monza arrive with mixed recent form but high motivation following their successful promotion back to Serie A. After navigating a tense two-legged play-off final against Catanzaro, Ivan Jurić’s men enjoyed an active pre-season. They secured an impressive 2-0 friendly win over Turkish giants Galatasaray, offset by a 3-1 loss to Aris. However, they rebounded in style for their first competitive outing, thrashing Avellino 3-0 in the Coppa Italia.
Predicted lineups
Inter Milan: J. Martinez; Akanji, Stones, Bastoni; Diouf, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Esposito, L. Martinez
Monza: Pizzignacco; Kouadio, Delli Carri, Carboni; Birindelli, Akinsanmiro, Colombo, Mangas; Colpani, Cutrone; Varela
How to watch Inter Milan vs Monza?
You can watch the Inter Milan vs Monza match live on DAZN in the UK.
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