Inter Milan vs Hellas Verona

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza plays host to a lopsided Serie A contest between top-four hopefuls Inter Milan and relegation contenders Hellas Verona.

Inter Milan fought back from a 1-0 halftime deficit to claim a 2-1 extra-time win over second-tier Parma in midweek Coppa Italia action and bounce back from a morale-damaging 2-2 Serie A draw at Monza last time out. Ten points adrift of pacesetters Napoli, ‘I Nerazzurri’ are no longer relevant in the Scudetto race, but with fifth-placed Lazio only three points behind, their top-four hopes are also on the line. Verona’s visit to Meazza couldn’t have been timed any better, as Inter have never lost a home Serie A H2Hs against ‘I Gialloblu’ in their last 31 such contests (W20, D11). Moreover, Simone Inzaghi’s men have lost just three of their last 40 Serie A games against sides sides with 25+ points fewer than them at the start of the round (W30, D7).

On the other hand, Hellas Verona opened the new calendar year with a morale-boosting 1-1 draw against Torino and did one better earlier this week, beating fellow relegation rivals Cremonese 2-0 at home. Verona’s mini-revival in 2023 comes on the back of a humiliating ten-game losing Serie A streak, but there’s no time for celebrations. Marco Zaffaroni’s men sit six points below safety and head into this matchday as one of only two Serie A sides yet to win a league match away from home this season (D3, L5). A shutout against Cremonese marked Verona’s first top-flight clean sheet since April 2022, but they’ve not gone back-to-back league fixtures without conceding since September 2020!