Derby d'Italia: Inter Milan vs Juventus - Recap and match preview

Walter Mazzarri

Conte doesn’t need to make any major changes. Mirko Vucinic is a doubt due to injury, so Fabio Quagliarella may start alongside Carlos Tevez upfront. Mazzarri’s lineup is unlikely to be radical. Captain Javier Zanetti is yet to make a full recovery, so Mazzarri will probably persist with a 3-man defence of Campagnaro, Jesus and Ranocchia.

Closing down Andrea Pirlo has been key to stopping Juve over the least two seasons, so it will be interesting to see Mazzarri’s strategy for dealing with l’architetto. As the centre-forward, Rodrigo Palacio will probably be assigned the task of dropping back to mark Pirlo. That is easier said than done : Pirlo – a former Interisti himself – is capable of fashioning through balls from half-chances and quarter-chances.

Conclusion

Recent history suggests Juventus are clear-cut favourites: double league champions, with probably the most balanced squad in Europe, up against a side that was being branded decrepit two months ago.

Yet, in the sample size available, Inter have definitely made progress under Mazzarri. The leaky defence that was repeatedly torn apart last season (2nd worst in Serie A) has kept 2 clean sheets thus far, with the attack registering an impressive 5 goals.

This may be nothing more than beginner’s luck, and a like-for-like formation will probably suit Juventus, with their superior quality. An open game is harder to predict.

It is a safe call, however, that this will not be a borefest. Both managers are ambitious men with strong personalities and some history, who will not want to lose to each other. That in itself should be enough to ensure they go for the jugular.

In the reverse fixture last season, Inter came from behind to break Juventus’s 49-match unbeaten streak in the league – giving Antonio Conte his first Serie A defeat as Juventus manager, and the first defeat at the new Juventus Stadium. Till then, Juve were unbeaten at home and Inter were unbeaten away.

Today, both have a perfect record going into this match. Juve have arguably the best strikeforce in the league; Inter its best defence. Little remains but to blow the whistle.