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Serie A | Gameweek 18
Jan 6, 2020 at 7.45pm UK
 
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1-3

Milik (39')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Lukaku (14', 33'), Martinez (62')

How Inter Milan could line up against Napoli

Sports Mole looks at how Inter Milan could line up for Monday's Serie A clash with Napoli at San Paolo.

Inter Milan will look to maintain their grip on top spot in Serie A when they travel south to face Napoli on Monday night for their first game of 2020.

The Nerazzurri have enjoyed an excellent start to life under Antonio Conte, who is the only Serie A manager to remain unbeaten away from home at this stage of the campaign.

Napoli, meanwhile, are playing just their third game under new manager Gennaro Gattuso following the club's decision to sack Carlo Ancelotti last month.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Inter could line up for this fixture.



POSSIBLE INT XI v NAP

Out: Alexis Sanchez (ankle), Nicolo Barella (knee), Danilo D'Ambrosio (leg), Kwadwo Asamoah (knee)
Doubtful: None

Just like at Chelsea, Conte places considerable emphasis on his three central defenders when it comes to circulating the ball, and he will want his best options available for this game.

Stefan de Vrij, sitting at the base of defence, serves as the starting point, with the talented Milan Skriniar often stretching the pitch on the right-hand side and passing the ball with authority.

Working in conjunction with Skriniar will be the indomitable Antonio Candreva, who serves as a model of the modern full-back through his simultaneous capacity for maintaining defensive shape while also penetrating the final third.

On the other side, Conte looks likely to put faith in Cristiano Biraghi, on loan from Fiorentina, who has impressed with his raw energy down the flank this term.

Having missed Inter's last game, it seems very likely that Marcelo Brozovic, the heartbeat of Inter's midfield, will return to the engine room as he looks to assert his presence in the middle of the park.

In the absence of Napoli's Fabian Ruiz, the Croat will know that, along with the industrious Borja Valero and the nimble Matias Vecino, Inter have an excellent chance to dominate proceedings in the centre of the pitch.

Linking things up in the final third will be, of course, the duo of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, whose success this season confounds the modern notion that strike pairings are no longer efficient in a world of attacking full-backs.

Having netted 20 Serie A goals between them so far this season, the duo will serve as the essential difference against a Napoli side that has struggled for attacking rhythm so far this term.

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Leo Nieboer
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Napoli19142330121844
2Atalanta BCAtalanta18132343202341
3Inter Milan17124145153040
4Lazio1911263327635
5Juventus18711030151532
6Fiorentina1895431181332
7Bologna177732521428
8AC Milan177642617927
9Udinese197482328-525
10Roma196582624223
11Torino195681924-521
12Empoli194871822-420
13Genoa194871627-1120
14Parma194782534-919
15Hellas VeronaHellas Verona1961122442-1819
16Como184682030-1018
17CagliariCagliari1945101832-1417
18Lecce1945101131-2017
19VeneziaVenezia1935111832-1414
20Monza1917111727-1010


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