Serie A Preview: Inter vs Napoli – Team News, Line-ups & Preview | OneFootball

The standout fixture of Serie A Matchday 12 pits defending champions Inter and current leaders Napoli against each other on Sunday night. Giuseppe Meazza forms the backdrop for this early Scudetto six-pointer, with only a point separating the two Italian giants ahead of the kick-off.

Despite blowing hot and cold in the early stage of their Serie A title defense, Inter could enter November’s international break as the league leaders with a win here. Simone Inzaghi’s troops pounced on Napoli’s disastrous 3-0 home defeat to Atalanta last weekend to whittle down the gap.

Lautaro Martinez’s first home goal in Serie A this season inspired Inter to a narrow 1-0 home triumph against newcomers Venezia. However, they had to survive a last-minute VAR drama to secure three points. The same scoreline helped the Nerazzurri see off Arsenal in midweek UEFA Champions League action.

Hakan Calhanoglu scored from the spot on the stroke of halftime to set his team up perfectly for this mouth-watering clash. With Inter and Juventus breathing down their necks, Napoli head into proceedings desperate for a quick rebound after suffering their second three-goal margin loss this season.

Antonio Conte’s slipped to a 3-0 reverse at Hellas Verona on matchday one. But they had since hit a purple patch before Atalanta gave them a harsh reality check last Sunday. What better way to reaffirm their Scudetto credentials than beating the reigning holders in their backyard?

Match Preview

Inter

Recent history heavily favors Inter. Inzaghi’s men have got the better of Napoli in six of their last ten meetings in Serie A (D3, L1). However, this corresponding fixture in 2024/25 ended 1-1, ending Inter’s dominant five-game winning home league streak against the Partenopei.

Low scoring has been a common theme in this match-up. Eight of the last nine top-flight encounters between Inter and Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza have featured under 2.5 goals, highlighting the potential for a cagey affair. But the hosts should be confident of troubling the scoreboard.

Boasting one of the longest scoring runs in Europe’s top-five leagues, Inter have found the net in their last 28 home outings in Serie A. Despite their formidable scoring form, Inzaghi’s men have blown hot and cold across their four most recent league matches (W2, D1, L1).

Yet, they’ve hit the ground running since a 2-1 Derby della Madonnina loss to Milan in September, racking up an eye-catching nine-game unbeaten streak in all competitions (W9, D1).

Napoli

Napoli had enjoyed a similar run before Atalanta ran riot at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, winning six consecutive games in domestic action, including a 2-0 triumph against Milan at this stadium. Indeed, Conte’s men have gone from strength to strength on the road after a day-one fiasco at Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi.

They come into this clash unbeaten on their last four Serie A travels (W3, D1). Napoli remarkably kept a clean sheet on each occasion, suggesting they could knock Inter down from their outrageous scoring spree at Meazza. With Juventus and Milan among the sides they kept at bay during that sequence, it’s hard to put it past the Partenopei to shut out their hosts.

However, if things go south, Napoli could suffer back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2023. The visitors cannot afford a slow start, though that’s been a recurring theme on their recent visits to Inter.

Five of the last six Serie A showdowns between Inter and Napoli on this ground have seen the visiting side concede the opening goal.

Team News

With Francesco Acerbi and Calhanoglu back from injuries, Inter will have almost an entire squad fit for this blockbuster. Carlos Augusto is the only definite absentee, but there’s a chance Kristjan Asllani could skip this fixture due to a minor fitness problem.

As for Napoli, Mario Rui is the only missing first-team player. Star midfielder Stanislav Lobotka has recovered from a thigh strain and should dislodge Billy Gilmour from the starting line-up. With Leonardo Spinazzola not fully fit yet, Mathias Olivera will probably start at left-back.

Inter vs Napoli Potential Starting Line-ups

Inter (3-5-2): Yann Sommer; Benjamin Pavard, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Matteo Darmian, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco; Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez.

Napoli (4-2-3-1): Alex Meret; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Alessandro Buongiorno, Mathias Olivera; Andre- Frank Zambo Anguissa, Stanislav Lobotka; Matteo Politano, Scott McTominay, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia; Romelu Lukaku.

Inter vs Napoli Prediction

Despite Napoli’s outstanding away form, Inter again look like a team that strolled to the Scudetto last season, especially at the back.

Inzaghi’s men have registered five shutouts in their last six competitive matches. Though we wouldn’t bet against Romelu Lukaku and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Inter should take three points here and leapfrog Napoli into the summit.