Serie A: Monza Will Shoot Their Shot Against League Leaders Inter

Monza vs Inter Milan

Monza’s pursuit of a top-half spot in Serie A continues when they’ll take on Inter Milan for the start of the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on Saturday night at the U-Power Stadium.

I Biancorossi have proven last season that they have what it takes to stay in the Italian top-flight, and they’re having yet another decent campaign as they’re right where they finished last term, in 11^th place.

As long as they’re out of the relegation zone, Monza can play carefree for the rest of the season, but the same can’t be said for Inter Milan since they have higher expectations.

I Nerazzurri are on top, but they’re aware that Juventus are right behind them with only a two-point cushion, so this is not a match that they should take for granted.

As we look ahead to another fun matchday, check out today’s SBOTOP preview between these two sides by reading more below.

Talking Points

Atalanta rejects get a new lease of life at Monza

The quote “another man’s trash is another man’s treasure” can be applied to I Biancorossi, as we’ve seen both Matteo Pessina and Andrea Colpani doing well at Monza after leaving Atalanta for good.

Due to Atalanta’s abundance of midfield options, Pessina and Colpani — the former having played for Spezia and Hellas Verona and the latter for Trapani — were both loaned out for multiple seasons while they were in Bergamo.

And fast forward to today: Pessina is now the captain of Monza, while Colpani is currently the team’s leading scorer with six league goals.

Because of this, Colpani has been on the radar of rival clubs this January transfer window, with AC Milan and Juventus being his most notable suitors, while Inter Milan, AS Roma, and Napoli are monitoring their goalie, Michele Di Gregorio.

Raffaele Palladino and co. can cash in on their stars, but the belief is that the club isn’t keen on selling them this month, according to local reports.

As far as their Serie A 2024 results are concerned, Monza are fresh from holding Napoli to a goalless draw and a 3-2 win over Frosinone last weekend.

After this game against Inter Milan, Monza have winnable matches against bottom-half sides Empoli, Sassuolo, Udinese, and Hellas Verona.

Martinez showing why he is Inter Milan’s captain

Although Lautaro Martinez does not usually miss games, he was compelled to do so against Lecce and Genoa by the team physicians, ending his remarkable run of 89 straight appearances.

The last game Martinez missed for Inter Milan was in October 2022 due to a thigh issue, and he also served a one-match ban six months prior.

So, when he returned to the starting lineup against Hellas Verona on Saturday, the Argentine striker didn’t waste time re-introducing himself by scoring the first goal of the match during the 13^th minute en route to the 2-1 victory.

In order to keep Inter Milan’s unbeaten run alive, Martinez has to continue scoring for them. He is their only double-digit scorer right now with 18 goals, and he also has two assists.

Monza’s backline will also have to account for Marcus Thuram and Hakan Calhanoglu, as the two of them have combined for 16 goals and nine assists so far this term.

History

After failing to win in their last two Serie A matches last term (D1, L1), Inter Milan beat Monza 2-0, courtesy of Lautaro Martinez’s brace, on the opening day of the 2023-24 campaign.

Monza have never won in all five previous home games against Inter Milan across all competitions (D2, L3) while conceding at least one goal in the process (9 total).

And I Biancorossi have lost two of their last three Serie A matches at the U-Power Stadium (W1) after going six straight games unbeaten before (W2, D4), which is as many home losses as they had in their previous 13 at home.

Betting Tip

The Serie A 2024 odds symbolises the gulf between Inter Milan and Monza, as the former is priced at 1.46 to win, while the hosts are 5.90 underdogs, and a draw is at 3.97 in the 1X2 market.

Inter Milan managed to win the reverse fixture earlier this season. And because they’re in better shape, they should be able to do so once more, and Total Goal 2-3 at 1.93 should be enough to get the job done (besides our recommended bet above).

Meanwhile, if you fancy a Monza victory, then check out Correct Score 1-0 in their favour – the result of their meeting last April 2023 – since it has a mouthwatering offer of 16.00.

 

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