Inter Milan were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday after losing on penalties to Atletico Madrid. It ended a run of 13 victories in all competitions.
While there is disappointment at the European exit, the season should still end on a positive note domestically for Inter, who have a massive 16-point lead at the top of the Serie A standings going into this weekend’s matches.
The club is now focused on breaking the Serie A points record of 102. That lead is already a huge cushion over their rivals, especially as the Nerazzurri have only dropped points in three of their last 22 league games (19W, 3D).
They have the chance to win 11 Serie A matches in a row for only the third time in their history, although Simone Inzaghi’s side will need to overcome a resurgent Napoli side.
Inter have the advantage of having already beaten Napoli twice this season, as well as winning their last five home games against them.
Napoli are also coming off a defeat to a Spanish side, as their 3-1 loss to Barcelona on Tuesday eliminated them from the Champions League (4-2 on aggregate). It was their first defeat in seven games (2W, 4D), and the reigning Scudetto champions can now focus on closing the seven-point gap to the top four ahead of this weekend.
While that target may seem difficult to achieve, the Neapolitans are at least going in the right direction under interim coach Francesco Calzona. Ten goals in their last four league games, almost a quarter of their total for the season, shows their recent improvement.
The visitors will need to be at their best to challenge the leaders as they have lost seven of their last 11 league meetings (2W, 2D), including five without scoring.
Key Players: Hakan Çalhanoğlu has been a lucky charm for Inter. The team has won all of the last 16 league games in which he has scored – a run that started here with a 3-2 victory in this fixture in November 2021. Napoli’s response could come from Victor Osimhen, who scored a hat-trick in the last away league game but has never faced a team more often than Inter without scoring (six).
Hot Stat: Inter have not conceded a first-half goal in nine of their last 10 league games, as well as in the last three meetings between the teams in all competitions.
Prediction: Inter Milan are strong favorites to win this match and continue their march towards the Serie A title. Napoli are a dangerous team, but they have struggled against Inter in recent years. I predict a 2-1 win for Inter.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings