Serie A: Inter Must Pass the Torino Test

Inter Milan vs Torino

Serie A action returns to the San Siro Stadium on Saturday evening as Inter Milan welcome Torino for Round 6 of the new campaign.

The 2021 Scudetto champions haven’t really come out of the blocks as quickly as they would have hoped, and that makes this a game they really must win to avoid slipping too far off the pace.

Inter come into the match on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, while Torino have the happier memory of a third win of the campaign – a 1-0 victory at home to Lecce to carry with them to Milan.

The Serie A 2022 betting odds initially marked this campaign as a three-horse race, but after a mixed start for I Nerazzuri and Juventus, AC Milan are current favourites with SBOTOP. Meanwhile, Napoli, Roma, and Atalanta have climbed into the picture.

Inzaghi’s side will start this game in eighth place in the league table – a point and two places behind Torino and Il Toro have European aspirations of their own this season.

But I Nerazzurri are hot favourites to win this game at odds of 1.41, and after a disappointing seven days, they will be keen to get back on the winning trail.  

Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi has work to do and it needs on start on Saturday. 

Talking Points

Inter’s bad week

Sometimes things just don’t go your way and that’s exactly how Nerazzurri fans will feel after two defeats in succession which have both been pretty hard to take.

Firstly, a 3-2 loss in the Derby Di Milano is about the worst result an Inter fan could imagine. And to follow that up with a home reversal to Bayern Munich in the Champions League was another savage blow.

But it was the manner of the defeat to the Bavarians which would have annoyed Inzaghi and the Inter faithful. They surrendered to the Bundesliga champions too easily and a side containing the likes of Sadio Mane, Thomas Muller, and Joshua Kimmich doesn’t need a lot of help.

But after Leroy Sane gave Bayern a first half lead, Danilo D’Ambrosio put through his own net to end any hopes of an Inter revival.

The hosts registered just two shots on target while their visitors had 11, and only a brilliant display from debutant keeper Andre Onana saved Inter from further embarrassment.   

The best way to get a Champions League loss out of your system is to ensure your Serie A 2022 results are back on track and Inter have been solid at home in the league.

Captain Samir Handanovic is likely to take his place back between the sticks, while striker Lautauro Martinez will hope to maintain the form which has brought him three goals already. If Inter get it right at both ends of the pitch, they should pick up all three points.      

Vlasic at home in Torino

Head coach Ivan Juric has done a good job at Torino since his arrival in 2021, guiding them to a 10th placed finish in his first season and they have started well this time around.

And the Toro boss seems to have pulled off a master stroke with at least one of his two loan signings this summer.

He’s been a little unlucky with Russian attacking midfielder Aleksei Miranchuk. The 26-year-old is on loan from Atalanta and Juric hoped he would provide the creative muscle his team needs, but he has picked up an injury and only featured once.

There is better news for Torino as Croatian striker Nicola Vlasic, who has struggled at Premier League club West Ham, seems to be thriving in Serie A after his loan switch to Torino and has scored three goals already.

Vlasic has struck up a good relationship with Paraguayan striker Antonio Sanabria and they will test Inter’s resolve at the back.

History

I Nerazzurri have won 22 of the 38 encounters since 1993, with Torino winning just five and there have been 11 draws.

Both games from the 2021/22 campaign were hard fought as Inter won 1-0 at the San Siro before the teams played out a 1-1 draw in Turin.

Inter have not lost this fixture at home in the last six meetings. 

In terms of recent form, the visitors have the edge. Inter have three wins and three losses from the last six, while Torino have four wins, a draw, and a single defeat over that period.

Betting Tip

You can’t rule out Torino at odds of 7.14 or the draw at 4.07, and they may well get something from this game. But I’m counting on a reaction from Inter after a limp show against Bayern and I expect they will go at Torino from the off.

 

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