Hellas Verona v Inter – Preview: Nerazzurri face a rejuvenated Gialloblu

Published on: 05 February 2016

Inter travel to face Hellas Verona at the Stadio Bentegodi in the early kick-off on Sunday in Serie A, as Roberto Mancini’s men look for three points to keep their ever fainting hopes of Scudetto glory alive.

The Nerazzurri scraped a 1-0 victory over Chievo on Wednesday night thanks to a Mauro Icardi strike, a win that relieves some of the pressure off the Milanese side after some poor results of late which has seen them drop from first to fourth in the table.

Mancini’s men have 44 points after 23 games, a full nine points off leaders Napoli and one behind Fiorentina in the third and final Champions League position. The Nerazzurri have maintained a decent record on the road, winning six of their eleven away encounters so far this season, drawing three and losing the other two, including last time out suffering a 3-0 defeat against fierce rivals AC Milan.

The Gialloblu, meanwhile, have endured a torrid campaign to date but have found a bit of form lately and finally recorded their first win of the season on Wednesday, defeating Atalanta 2-1 at the Stadio Bentegodi as part of a four-game unbeaten mini revival.

Luigi Delneri’s side sit on the bottom of the table on 14 points, ten points off Sampdoria in 17th and safety. In their 12 encounters at the Stadio Bentegodi this season they have only picked up eight points, the worst in the league after five draws and six defeats.

When two sides met back in September at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Inter ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Felipe Melo goal, while last season the Nerazzurri defeated the Gialloblu 3-0 in Verona, with Mauro Icardi among the goals for the away side.

Since the 1996/1997 campaign the sides have met 13 times in Serie A, with the Nerazzurri unbeaten against Sunday’s opponents, winning 11 of the encounters with the other two games ending in draws.

In team news, the Gialloblu have doubts over defender Samuel Souprayen and striker Ante Rebic, with top scorer on four goals Giampaolo Pazzini expected to partner Luca Toni in attack in a 4-4-2 formation.

The Nerazzurri, meanwhile, will be without the suspended Miranda, while Adem Ljajic is expected to return to the side in attack with nine goal top-scorer Mauro Icardi and new signing Eder in a 4-3-3 formation.

Form Guide: Hellas Verona (L-D-D-D-W) Inter (W-D-L-L-W)

Expected Starting XIs:

Hellas Verona: Gollini; Albertazzi, Moras, Helander, Pisano; Wszolek, Marrone, Ionita, Siligardi; Pazzini, Toni.

Inter: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Juan Jesus, Murillo, Telles; Brozovic, Medel, Kondogbia; Ljajic, Icardi, Eder.

Source: forzaitalianfootball.com

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