Inter Milanvs.Fiorentina

The Italian champions suffered just their second league defeat of the season at Stadio Franchi, where the Viola surged to victory in a game initially halted by traumatic circumstances.

Match preview

When Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed during the first half of December's meeting with Inter, the match was abandoned amid concerns for his wellbeing, and it ultimately transpired he had suffered a cardiac arrest.

With Bove on the road to recovery - albeit he can no longer play in Serie A due to having an ICD pacemaker implanted - the fixture was eventually rearranged, and play started again from the 17th minute.

On this occasion, Inter travelled to Tuscany with the incentive of knowing that victory would take them top of the table on goal difference, as they played their game in hand on league leaders Napoli.

Simone Inzaghi's side had previously confirmed their place in the Champions League's last 16 before snatching a late draw in the Derby della Madonnina, thanks to Stefan de Vrij's late strike against city rivals AC Milan.

However, they were stopped in their tracks on Thursday evening, as Fiorentina clinically struck three times during the second half to inflict Inter's first away loss of the Serie A season.

Having not lost back-to-back league matches since April 2023, Inzaghi's men will now be intent on gaining swift revenge and keeping the pressure on Napoli, as an absorbing Scudetto fight intensifies.

After Thursday's stunning 3-0 success on home turf, Fiorentina are aiming to do the double over Inter for the first time since 2016, when they went on to finish fifth in the standings.

With Moise Kean's brace following a smart finish from captain Luca Ranieri, the Viola spectacularly backed up their notable away win against Lazio, in which they played most of the second half with 10 men.

Despite suffering a stumble at the start of 2025, the Tuscan club now have 42 points on the board - their highest tally at this point of any campaign for nine years.

Depending on Italian teams' results in UEFA competitions - including their own progress in the Conference League - a top-five spot could be enough to secure Fiorentina's long-awaited return to Europe's top table.

Raffaele Palladino's men still have much work to do, though, as at least six sides are jostling for places behind Italy's current top two.

Another win on Monday would reaffirm their credentials as genuine contenders, but few teams beat Inter at San Siro.

Inter Milan Serie A form:

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Inter Milan form (all competitions):

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Fiorentina Serie A form:

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Team News

Due to Lega Serie A rules, neither side was allowed to field new signings on Thursday, as the game was initially due to be completed in December. Therefore, Nicola Zalewski was ruled out for Inter.

As Denzel Dumfries now drops out of the lineup through suspension, the Polish wing-back may make his first start since joining on loan from Roma, although Matteo Darmian could instead be selected on the hosts' right flank.

That might be Simone Inzaghi's sole change, as captain Lautaro Martinez again joins top scorer Marcus Thuram up front: the latter scored his first Serie A goal against Fiorentina at San Siro in September 2023, also providing an assist for Martinez. Currently on 13 league goals for the season, one more would set a new personal best.

Following Thursday's double strike, Fiorentina's main marksman Moise Kean is just ahead of Thuram in the Capocannoniere rankings, and he also needs only one more goal to break his previous best tally in Europe's top five leagues.

This time, the Viola can also call upon recent arrivals Michael Folorunsho, Cher Ndour, Nicolo Fagioli and Nicolo Zaniolo, the latter of whom once played in Inter's primavera.

However, fellow new boy Pablo Mari is struggling with an injury and promising defender Pietro Comuzzo must serve a one-match ban, while Albert Gudmundsson has been laid low by tonsillitis.

After being effectively forced to select two sets of full-backs due to the restrictions on Thursday's game - a decision that ultimately paid off - it remains to be seen whether Raffaele Palladino will make many changes.

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Adli, Mandragora; Colpani, Beltran, Folorunsho; Kean

We say: Inter Milan 2-1 Fiorentina

Since the start of last season, Inter have lost only two of 30 home games played in Serie A, winning on 21 occasions.

Written by

Jonathan O'Shea

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