With no time to rest after an epic six-goal thriller in Spain, Inter Milan resume their ailing defence of the Serie A title on Saturday, when they welcome Hellas Verona to San Siro.
Inter may have impressed in Barcelona, but three straight domestic defeats have left them playing catch-up to Napoli, also ending their run in the Coppa Italia; meanwhile, Hellas still need points to secure survival.
Few would have predicted a 3-3 draw from the first leg of Inter’s Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, as the competition’s meanest defence tackled its most explosive attack – but a chaotic contest ultimately played out that way on Wednesday evening.
Like their hosts, Hellas have also lost their last two league games without scoring: after Monday’s 2-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Cagliari, they occupy 16th place in the table.
Sitting seven points above the drop zone, the Gialloblu’s destiny remains within their own hands, as Paolo Zanetti‘s side still have to play two relegation rivals – Lecce and Empoli – before the campaign concludes.
While Verona have tightened up at the back in the second half of the season, they have also scored just six goals in 16 games this calendar year – failing to find the net on 10 occasions.
It may not be pretty, but even tired and absence-hit Inter should still have enough gas in the tank to rack up yet another win over lowly Verona.
Hellas have little to offer up front, so the reigning Serie A champions can get their noses in front before saving some energy for Barcelona’s arrival.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
