Aiming to finish a successful year with a streak of five straight Serie A wins, Inter Milan will visit Cagliari on Saturday, as both sides play their final fixture of 2024.
In addition to reclaiming the Scudetto, Inter have won the most matches, scored the most goals and conceded the fewest since the start of January; while they are in the thick of another title race, their hosts are stuck inside the drop zone.
Match preview
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Either side of cruising though to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals earlier this month, Inter recorded two more league wins without conceding a goal, first thumping Lazio 6-0 in Rome before defeating Como at San Siro.
The latter game was still in the balance until second-half stoppage time, when Marcus Thuram hammered home a brilliant second goal to finally finish off the Nerazzurri's regional rivals.
Amid what a closely contested scrap for the Scudetto, Simone Inzaghi's side ensured they would stay within three points of top spot at Christmas - with one game in hand on both Atalanta BC and Napoli.
This calendar year, Inter have been Italy's dominant force, having won 26 out of 37 top-flight games and lost only twice - most recently in September.
Also impressing in the Champions League - despite recently suffering their first setback, away to Bayer Leverkusen - the Milan giants have plenty to look forward to in 2025, starting with next week's Supercoppa Italiana.
First, Inzaghi's men must try to end this year in style, as they convene with one of their favourite opponents: Inter have won seven of their last eight league matches in Cagliari, including all of the last four.
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Not only have Cagliari lost 10 of their last 13 top-flight meetings with Saturday's visitors - shipping goals at a rate of 2.5 goals per game - their record in year-ending fixtures also pales by comparison with Inter's.
In Serie A, the Sardinian side have failed to win any of their last six, while the Nerazzurri are unbeaten in eight, so both history and current form will be stacked against the Rossoblu on Saturday.
Cagliari lost their last three games before Christmas - to Fiorentina, Atalanta and relegation rivals Venezia - and they occupy 18th place in the table, just shy of the 2024-25 campaign's halfway stage.
The latter defeat was probably most painful, as they were beaten by one of the few teams below them: despite Leonardo Pavoletti's late header sparking a siege, they ultimately went down 2-1 at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo.
After a relatively bright start, Davide Nicola's side have now won only one of their last nine league matches, in addition to crashing out of the Coppa Italia - and Inter will not arrive in Sardinia bearing gifts.
Team News
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Before heading off to Saudi Arabia to contest the Supercoppa Italiana, Simone Inzaghi is expected to name his strongest available XI on Saturday evening.
Inter are still without Benjamin Pavard due to injury, and Francesco Acerbi's return remains in some doubt, but Matteo Darmian should be back on the bench after missing last week's win over Como.
Set to join Marcus Thuram up front, captain Lautaro Martinez has scored nine goals in as many league games against Cagliari to date - and five of his last six in Serie A have come away from home.
Meanwhile, the hosts' sole absentee is Zito Luvumbo, who has been ruled out by a sprained ankle, but Davide Nicola is still expected to make some changes; notably, Nicolas Viola is vying to displace Gianluca Gaetano in support of lone striker Roberto Piccoli.
Veteran 'super-sub' Leonardo Pavoletti moved fifth in the Rossoblu's all-time Serie A goals list by finding the net in Venice last time out, but he is most likely to start on the bench.
Cagliari possible starting lineup:
Sherri; Zappa, Luperto, Palomino; Zortea, Adopo, Makoumbou, Marin, Augello; Viola; Piccoli
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Bisseck, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram
We say: Cagliari 1-3 Inter Milan
Inter have spent the most minutes leading matches this season (683) while Cagliari have been ahead for the fewest (99), and they should both continue in the same vein this weekend.
The champions will be in no mood to relent as they try to apply pressure on several title rivals; their ailing hosts are in no position to stop them.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
