Inter Milan are set to kick off their new Serie A campaign with a strong home win against Monza as the defending champions look to defend their double from last season. The Nerazzurri wrapped up both the league and cup without much drama and their coach Cristian Chivu has earned plenty respect for the way he handled the squad. Summer changes focused on bringing in younger legs after veterans like Yann Sommer and Francesco Acerbi moved on and a few other experienced players also left the setup. Preseason friendlies showed good form with a penalty shootout win over Manchester City a draw in the derby against Milan and victories against Juventus and Real Betis before the real action starts.
Team Form
Inter finished the previous campaign on a long unbeaten run and carried that momentum into the summer where they stayed unbeaten in all warm up games. Monza on the other hand fought their way back into Serie A through a tense playoff series against Catanzaro decided on tiebreakers and they opened their cup campaign with a solid 3-0 win over Avellino. New coach Ivan Juric has taken charge with the hope of steadying the ship after his recent projects did not go as planned so this season offers him a fresh chance to show what he can do with limited resources.
- Inter won Serie A and Coppa Italia last term with minimal challenge from rivals
- Monza needed extra indicators to secure promotion via playoffs against Catanzaro
- Inter stayed unbeaten in preseason including a shootout win over Manchester City
Tactical Analysis
Inter have the depth and quality to control games at the San Siro with their mix of experienced leaders and fresh talent ready to press high and create chances. Monza will likely sit deep and look for counter opportunities but they lack the squad strength to match the champions over ninety minutes especially away from home. The visitors might start brightly after their cup win yet the gap in resources means they will struggle to contain Inter attacks once the home side finds rhythm.
- Inter strengths include strong defense and quick transitions from midfield
- Monza weaknesses show in limited squad depth after promotion battles
- Chivu setup favors possession and set piece threats which Monza may not handle well
Betting Proposal
The types point strongly toward a comfortable home victory and punters should consider the handicap market for extra value on this fixture. Inter have the quality and motivation to dominate from the first whistle while Monza face a steep test in their return to the top flight. Expect the champions to pull clear in the second half after breaking down the visitors organized defense.
Inter to win at home by two goals or more looks the smart play with the handicap line offering decent returns. Fora 1 (-1,5) at odds of 1,68 stands out as the top choice for this weekend clash.
