Genoa welcome Inter to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Saturday evening in Serie A, with a win for the home side ensuring that they’ll finish above the Nerazzurri this season, and make their case for Europa League football even stronger.
Despite not being granted a UEFA license to compete in European competition next season, the Grifone are appealing the decision and could effectively qualify for the Europa League should they beat Inter, who are also clinging onto their own faint hopes of Europe.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s men are in red hot form, having won four of their last five league games, including big wins over Torino and Atalanta in their last two outings. Despite last week’s slightly embarrassing home loss to what was largely Juventus’ second string side, the visitors have been in good nick as well, with three wins in their last five.
The previous meeting between the two sides in January ended up in a 3-1 victory for the Nerazzurri, while in last season’s reverse fixture Genoa emerged 1-0 victors thanks to a Luca Antonelli goal. In fact, the last time Inter won at the Marassi against Genoa was back in December 2011, Yuto Nagatomo getting the only goal of the game.
Genoa will have to do without a host of attacking players as M’Baye Niang, Diego Perotti and Marco Borriello are all ruled out for the rest of the season with injuries, meaning the goalscoring burden will lie with impressive winger Iago Falque, who curiously this week has been linked with a summer move to Inter.
On loan Nerazzurri Diego Laxalt will likely have to settle for a place on the bench against his parent club, with Zakarya Bergdich set to start on the left flank. Central defender Nicolas Burdisso will be another former Inter player that will anticipate the clash against his former club.
Inter receive a huge boost with in-form trequartista Hernanes back into the side after missing the loss to the Bianconeri with suspension.
The Brazilian was in majestic form before last weekend, and his inclusion will mean that marquee winter signing Xherdan Shaqiri is set to return to the bench, as Roberto Mancini struggles to assimilate the talented Swiss international into his squad.
Rodrigo Palacio and Mauro Icardi will continue their partnership up front, while Mateo Kovacic will continue to start in the absence of Fredy Guarin, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Form Guide: Genoa (L-W-W-L-W-W) Inter (D-W-D-W-W-L)
Expected Starting XIs
Genoa: Perin; Roncaglia, Burdisso, De Maio; Edenilson, Kucka, Bertolacci, Rincon, Bergdich; Falque, Pavoletti
Inter: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Ranocchia, Vidic, Juan Jesus; Brozovic, Medel, Kovacic; Hernanes; Palacio, Icardi
