Inter Milan vs Juventus

More than just bragging rights is at stake as Inter Milan and Juventus go head-to-head in a Serie A classic at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

The timing of the 251st official Derby d’Italia couldn’t have been any better if you ask Inter boss Simone Inzaghi after his side returned to Serie A action following a third consecutive Supercoppa Italiana success with a spirited 1-0 win at top-four hopefuls Fiorentina. After taking advantage of Juventus’ slip-up to regain control at the summit with a game in hand, ‘I Nerazzurri’ are gunning for only their second win in seven H2Hs (W1, D2, L3). Achieving that feat would go a long way in asserting dominance in a fiercely-contested Scudetto race, and there’s no better place than Giuseppe Meazza, where they’ve won their last five Serie A assignments, including four ‘to nil.’ Not only are Inter outstanding at the back, but they’re also the division’s most prolific attack after tallying 50 goals in the first 21 matchdays for the first time since 2006/07.

On the other hand, Arkadiusz Milik’s mindless tackle that earned him an expulsion in the opening quarter of the game condemned Juventus to a morale-damaging 1-1 home draw against Empoli, knocking them down from a high-flying seven-match winning streak across all competitions. With only Inter (10) boasting a better defensive record than ‘I Bianconeri’ (13) in Serie A this season, connoisseurs of action-packed football won’t be overly enthusiastic about this contest, especially considering their last three top-flight H2Hs at Giuseppe Meazza have featured under 2.5 goals. However, with standout striker Dusan Vlahovic back to his usual best, Juventus’ frontline has been atypically prolific on their recent Serie A travels, netting 2+ goals in four of their last five (W4, D1).