In a highly anticipated clash, Serie A giants Inter Milan and Atalanta BC will meet in the semi-finals of the Supercoppa Italiana on Thursday. The two Lombardy rivals will face off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the winner advancing to the final on Monday.
Inter Milan, the reigning Serie A champions, will be seeking to defend their Supercoppa Italiana title, having won the competition in the last three consecutive seasons.
The Nerazzurri are currently just one point behind league leaders Atalanta in the race for the Scudetto, making this a crucial encounter between two of Italy’s top teams.
Simone Inzaghi’s side will be without defensive duo Benjamin Pavard and Francesco Acerbi, who have been left behind in Milan.
However, Matteo Darmian has recovered from a knee injury and is expected to feature. The Inter starting lineup is likely to be similar to the one that defeated Cagliari in their last league match, with Marcus Thuram partnering captain Lautaro Martinez up front.
Atalanta, on the other hand, will be missing wing-back Juan Cuadrado, who sustained a thigh injury in their previous game.
Strikers Gianluca Scamacca and Mateo Retegui are also unavailable for the Bergamo-based club. However, Matteo Ruggeri may be fit to play a part in the semi-final, having recovered from a toe problem.
In the absence of Scamacca and Retegui, 2024 African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman is expected to support Charles De Ketelaere in Atalanta’s attacking lineup.
Predicted Inter Milan Starting XI: (3-5-2)
Sommer;
Bisseck, De Vrij, Bastoni;
Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco;
Martinez, Thuram
Predicted Atalanta BC Starting XI: (3-4-2-1)
Carnesecchi;
Kossounou, Hien, Kolasinac;
Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zappacosta;
Samardzic, Lookman;
De Ketelaere
While Atalanta have been in impressive form recently, Inter’s experience in high-stakes matches could give them the edge in this semi-final clash. The Scudetto holders are likely to edge a tight encounter and progress to the Supercoppa Italiana final.
