Inter host Sampdoria at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday night in Serie A hoping to bounce back after the loss in Florence.
After Khouma Babacar’s late winner gave Fiorentina three points in the battle for third spot, Roberto Mancini’s men will have to react immediately against Sampdoria, who themselves come from a disappointing 0-0 draw at home with Atalanta.
The Blucerchiati haven’t won in seven games, where they have lost five and put together just two points, meaning they are now 17th, only three points clear of the drop zone.
Meanwhile, Inter have gone from being first on January 6 to being fifth now, having won just twice in the last nine, with ties against bottom of the table Hellas Verona and Carpi.
Both teams are desperate for a win then, and the most-recent encounter between the two sides was a draw when Ivan Perisic equalising in the final minutes after Luis Muriel’s opener. Last season’s encounters saw the same result twice, with the home team winning 1-0.
A result Mancini would be happy to replicate on Saturday, as it is Inter’s preferred result this season and would mean a much needed win. To do so, the former Manchester City manager could opt for a new formation, moving away from the latest 4-3-3 into a 4-4-2 with Jonathan Biabiany back in the starting eleven. Alex Telles and Geoffrey Kondogbia are unavailable after the ban collected from the red cards against Fiorentina, as well as Gary Medel, also banned. Everyone else can be counted on, as Mancini will hope Eder can score his first goal for the Nerazzurri against his former club.
Having lost Eder, Vincenzo Montella’s options up front are Muriel, Fabio Quagliarella and Antonio Cassano, with the latter two set to start in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Lorenzo De Silvestri, Jacopo Sala and Modibo Diakitè are all injured, giving Montella very few options on his right flank. Carlos Carbonero is also sidelined through a knee injury, with the midfield duo that will be Roberto Soriano and Fernando. Andrea Ranocchia will be playing against his former club, as well as Dodò.
Recent form: Inter (D-L-W-D-L) Sampdoria (L-L-D-L-D)
Expected starting XI’s
Inter (4-4-2): Handanovic; Nagatomo, Murillo, Miranda, D’Ambrosio; Biabiany, Felipe Melo, Brozovic, Perisic; Icardi, Eder.
Sampdoria (3-4-1-2): Viviano; Silvestre, Ranocchia, Cassani; Ivan, Soriano, Fernando, Dodò; Correa; Cassano, Quagliarella.
