Inter host Cagliari on Tuesday at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in the Coppa Italia round of 16.
The Nerazzurri are top of the table in Serie A and have just blasted away Udinese with a 4-0 win on Saturday, and are clear favourites against the Rossoblu.
Cagliari come into the game after an important draw away to Livorno and have gone without losing for four games, topping Serie B. They reached this round of the competition by beating another in-form Serie A side, Sassuolo, thanks to a Marco Sau goal.
The last corresponding encounter between these two clubs saw Cagliari win unexpectedly 4-1 last season, whilst Inter won in Sardinia 2-1 in the return game. The last Coppa Italia tie between the two saw Inter secure victory thanks to a 3-1 win at home and a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Sant’Elia back in 2005.
It is the first mid-week game of the season for Inter, and coach Roberto Mancini plans to use it to give some playing time to certain unused players.
Juan Pablo Carrizo is expected to start in goal, and Juan Jesus will replace the usual Joao Miranda at centre back.
Assane Gnoukouri should also get a start in the middle alongside Geoffrey Kondogbia, with a completely new trio supporting striker Rodrigo Palacio: Jonathan Biabiany, Marcelo Brozovic and croatian starlet Rey Manaj.
Cagliari will instead play with their best starting eleven, to attempt what would be an incredible achievement in Milan.
Marco Sau will probably lead the attack with Diego Farias and Niccolo Giannetti. Ex-Serie A players like Gianni Munari and Davide Di Gennaro will also be starting.
Recent form: Inter (W-W-L-W-W) Cagliari (L-W-D-W-D)
Expected starting XI’s:
Inter (4-2-3-1): Carrizo; Nagatomo, Juan Jesus, Murillo, Telles; Kondogbia, Gnoukouri; Biabiany, Brozovic, Manaj; Palacio.
Cagliari (4-3-1-2): Cragno; Balzano, Ceppitelli, Salamon, Murru; Fossati, Munari, Di Gennaro; Farias, Sau, Giannetti.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com