Preview: Inter Milan vs. Monza - prediction, team news, lineups

Inter's successful trip to Lisbon takes them within touching distance of the Champions League semi-finals - ending a six-game winless streak in the process - while their neighbours have taken just two points from four games to slip down the table.

Match preview

Continuing their trend of excelling in cup competition - in contrast to some dismal league form - Inter took a stranglehold on their Champions League quarter-final clash with Primeira Liga leaders Benfica on Tuesday, as Romelu Lukaku's late penalty saw them leave Portugal with a 2-0 first-leg victory.

Having inexplicably hit the crossbar with a close-range header in last week's 1-1 draw with Salernitana, Lukaku was redeemed, and his fellow goalscorer at Estadio da Luz, Nicolo Barella, also made up for striking the post on a frustrating day down in Salerno.

Summing up Inter's fortunes in Serie A this season, no team has struck the woodwork more often than their tally of 14, in part explaining a record of 10 league defeats already - the club's worst such total at this stage since 2012.

The Nerazzurri's last domestic win came against Lecce at the start of last month, and a wretched run of results leaves them looking from the outside in to Serie A's top four, as they now trail fourth-placed city rivals Milan by a point.

Several sides are scrapping it out for three spots behind leaders Napoli to claim Champions League football, so Simone Inzaghi certainly cannot rest on his laurels after another fine result in Europe.

Inter's under-fire coach has seen his team lose their last two league fixtures on home soil - they have not lost three on the bounce for 10 years - and will hope a reputation for ruthlessly dismissing Serie A newcomers stands them in good stead on Saturday: they are unbeaten in 28 meetings with promoted opponents, winning 24 times and averaging nearly three goals per game.

Such has been the longstanding gulf between Inter and Monza, who are currently enjoying their first-ever campaign at Italy's elite level, prior to a 2-2 draw in January's reverse fixture they had never met in league competition.

The Lombardy clubs' previous seven meetings had all been played in the Coppa Italia, and Monza's most recent trip to take on the Nerazzurri at San Siro was a 2-1 defeat in September 1990.

Under the leadership of rookie coach Raffaele Palladino - who took charge of the Biancorossi in September following a sluggish start to their Serie A debut - the gap between the sides has narrowed significantly, to the extent that only eight places separate them ahead of this week's encounter.

A Denzel Dumfries own goal during stoppage time earned Palladino's men an unlikely point against Inter earlier this year, and they have also done the double over Juventus, so confidence should not be an issue when Monza make the short trip to Milan.

While effectively safe from a swift return to Serie B already, they have now failed to score in three of their last seven outings - as many times as in the previous 18. They have also conceded at least once in each, including draws with Verona and Udinese in their two most recent away matches.

Inter Milan Serie A form:

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Inter Milan form (all competitions):

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Monza Serie A form:

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Team News

Sandwiched between two Champions League clashes, Saturday's game may see Simone Inzaghi make some changes to his starting XI, though Inter cannot afford to slip up again in Serie A's top-four race.

Both PSG-bound Milan Skriniar (back) and Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu (adductor) remain unavailable due to injury, but fringe players such as Danilo D'Ambrosio - now back from a ban - and Robin Gosens could feature at San Siro. The latter scored against Salernitana last week and would replace Federico Dimarco on the Nerazzurri's left flank.

While Joaquin Correa or Romelu Lukaku could replace him up front, Lautaro Martinez will surely play a part at some stage and is seeking one goal to reach 15 for a third consecutive Serie A season - the last Inter man to achieve such a feat was El Toro's compatriot Mauro Icardi.

Though Dany Mota misses out this weekend through injury, Monza can welcome back fellow forward Gianluca Caprari from suspension, and he should support Andrea Petagna up front.

Petagna has previously played 10 times against Inter in Serie A without ever scoring or providing an assist, so will aim to end his 722-minute drought in that regard.

Meanwhile, in midfield, Inter loanee Stefano Sensi should feature against his parent club; ex-Nerazzurro Luca Caldirola is likely to start on the bench.

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Onana; Darmian, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Gosens; Correa, Lukaku

Monza possible starting lineup:

Di Gregorio; Izzo, Mari, Marlon; Ciurria, Sensi, Rovella, Augusto; Pessina, Caprari; Petagna

We say: Inter Milan 1-1 Monza

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