Serie A: Inter’s Title March Heads to Turin

Torino vs Inter Milan

Inter Milan travel to the Stadio Olimpico in Turin for the final Serie A fixture of the weekend knowing that a win will keep them in charge of the race for the Scudetto.  

Simone Inzaghi’s Nerazzurri currently trail AC Milan by two points but they have a game in hand. And with the Rossoneri at home to out-of-form Empoli, Inter will probably have to keep the pressure up with a win in Turin where they face a team sitting in 11^th place but without a win in six.

Inter come into the game on the back of a Champions League exit to Liverpool, though they won 1-0 at Anfield in the second leg on Tuesday, while Torino earned a useful point from a 0-0 draw away to Bologna.

This is a fascinating fixture and not an easy one for Inter to navigate. But if they do, then their destiny remains in their own hands.

Talking Points

Inter can boss the three–way race

Despite one or two recent wobbles, the latest Serie A 2022 betting odds here at SBOTOP rate I Nerazzurri as clear favourites to win the 2022 Scudetto. Inzaghi’s team is priced at 1.60 to finish first, with Napoli and AC Milan in pursuit at 4.10 and 5.00.

Last week, the Inter’s two rivals met and Milan came out with a 1-0 victory to go top of the table and put a dent in the Azzurri’s title hopes.  

Head coach Inzaghi can be happy with his team’s efforts as they clawed their way back into the title race after Milan and Napoli set a furious pace, each winning 11 of the first 12 league games.

I Nerazzurri’s progress hasn’t always been smooth but it has been relentless, fired on by the goals of Lautaro Martinez with 14, and Edin Dzeko with 12. And these two world-class strikers have a plentiful supply from wide-men Nicola Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu – who have both have made nine assists.

At the back, centre defender Milan Skriniar is having another fine season and Inter have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six away matches in Serie A.

Top half finish is Torino’s target

The fans at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino will be out in force and in full voice behind their team as Il Toro attempt to bloody the nose of a big name. The club doesn’t have a huge amount to worry about in terms of league matters, and that means they can play with some freedom.

After a 17^th-placed finish in the 2020/21 Serie A, head coach Ivan Zuric has guided the team to a solid mid-table position, some 12 points clear of the relegation zone and 12 points behind Lazio who occupy the last possible Europa League spot.

Il Toro’s recent Serie A 2022 results have not been up to scratch and their hopes of European qualification have slipped away, but a top 10 finish is well within the club’s capability and would be a big improvement on least season. 

Midfielder Josip Brekalo, on loan from Wolfsburg, is top scoring with six goals while forward Antonio Sanabria has five goals and veteran striker Andrea Belotti has weighed in with four, smashing in a sensational volley in a recent 1-1 draw in the Turin Derby. That was a great day for Torino fans and they would love another big result on Sunday.

But while Inter have a clean bill of health, Torino have a busy treatment room with Dennis Praet, Pietro Pellegrini, and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic all sidelined. 

History

Inter are 19 times winners of Serie A while Torino too have a rich history in the Italian top flight, winning the Scudetto seven times last in 1976.

I Nerazzurri have had much the better of the head-to-head meetings with 22 victories to Torino’s five and there have been 10 draws in all competitions since 1993.

When the two teams met in December, Inter won 1-0 as Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries scored for the second game in a row.

And the last time they met in Turin in last season’s encounter, Inter triumphed again with a 2-1 victory. In fact, I Nerazzurri have won all of the last five meetings.   

In terms of recent form, Il Toro are without a win in six – losing three and drawing three. Meanwhile, Inter have won two, drawn two, and lost two over that period, and are now four games without a loss.

Betting Tip

At 4.36 to win and 3.54 to draw, Torino fans will reckon their team has a good chance of upsetting the title favourites, who are priced at 1.71 to take all three points home.  We’re predicting a tight game with a 1-1 draw the most likely outcome at odds of 6.37. But if either team is to edge it, Inter’s determination to retain the Scudetto could see them earn a vital win.

 

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