Inter Milan's meeting with Napoli on Sunday will be one of the most significant games of the season so far. With both sides having had pretty disappointing starts to their respective Serie A campaigns, pressure and speculation has already begun to mount on coaches Walter Mazzarri and Rafael Benítez, with rumours even suggesting David Moyes will be in the stands at the San Siro ahead of replacing Mazzarri at the nerazzurri.
Inter Milan vs. Napoli preview: A battle of underperformers
Both Inter Milan and Napoli head into this game under fire after disappointing starts to the season.
That means this game should be a pretty tense, exciting affair, with a defeat potentially having big consequences for both sides. Recent form would suggest Napoli head in as favourites: they've won two on the bounce, while Inter have lost their last couple. However, while the partenopei's results have improved, their performances have still been unconvincing. They squeaked past Sassuolo 1-0, and had to come from behind to see off Torino. That, combined with Inter's home advantage, means it's nigh-on impossible to call this match.
Team news
Inter will be without wing-back Danilo D'Ambrosio and forward Dani Osvaldo, meaning Rodrigo Palacio will likely be brought in to partner Mauro Icardi in attack, with Yuto Nagatomo out on the right flank. Defender Hugo Campagnaro will likely miss out against his former club, along with backup wing-back Jonathan. The good news is that star midfielder Mateo Kovačić could be available, despite returning from international duty with a thigh niggle.
Napoli, meanwhile, have no injury or suspension concerns whatsoever, leaving coach Benítez lacking in excuses if his side fail to play to their best.
Projected lineups (left to right)
Inter Milan (3-5-2): Samir Handanović; Juan Jesus, Nemanja Vidić, Andrea Ranocchia; Dodô, Fredy Guarín, Gary Medel, Yann M'Vila, Yuto Nagatomo; Mauro Icardi, Rodrigo Palacio.
Napoli (4-2-3-1): Rafael; Juan Zúñiga, Kalidou Koulibaly, Raúl Albiol, Christian Maggio; David López, Walter Gargano; Lorenzo Insigne, Marek Hamšík, José Callejón; Gonzalo Higuaín.
Key Questions
Will Marek Hamšík replicate his international form? - Marek Hamšík hasn’t played consistently at his best for Napoli for quite a while, leading to speculation that he’s being misused by Benítez. Given quite how good a player he is when on form, that’s a pretty serious accusation. Hamšík was outstanding during the international break, playing as Slovakia stunned Spain 2-1, before netting twice in a 3-1 win over Belarus. If he can replicate such a level of performance against Inter, Napoli will have a massive advantage.
How will Inter cope with Napoli's wide threat? - José Callejón earned himself a place in the hearts of Napoli fans after moving to the partenopei from Real Madrid last summer. His knack of goalscoring from out wide was a key facet of the Neapolitan side's attack, with Lorenzo Insigne replicating his tendency to cut inside over on the opposite side of the field. The two wingers will no doubt cause headaches for Inter's wing-backs, who will likely be Dodô and Yuto Nagatomo in this match. If Napoli can keep them pinned back, they'll be able to dominate the game.
Will Napoli be able to cope with Mauro Icardi? - Mauro Icardi isn’t the most popular player in Serie A, but he is one of the most talented. The 21-year-old rediscovered a knack for goalscoring over the back end of last season, and has carried it through into the current campaign with three league goals in six appearances. Napoli’s back line -- which is so famous for its individual errors -- could well struggle to keep the Argentine wonderkid quiet.
Prediction
Separating these sides is pretty difficult, though on paper Napoli's attack looks good enough to overwhelm Inter's defence. That could well be enough for them to pick up a crucial win, and end Walter Mazzarri's nerazzurri tenure. 3-1 Napoli.
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