Inter Milan squandered the opportunity to climb to the top of Serie A during midweek when they suffered a 3-0 defeat against Fiorentina.
This match had been rescheduled due to a medical emergency halting the initial fixture. Just four days later, the two teams face each other again, with Inter eager to avenge their heaviest league loss since May 2019. Having secured victory in five of their last eight Serie A home encounters (D3), they seem well-positioned to make an immediate comeback.
In the last four of these matches, Inter managed to score at least twice, making it unlikely that they will fail to find the net in consecutive league games for the first time since April 2023. The second game in that sequence, nearly two years ago, was a 1-0 home loss to Fiorentina. However, a similar outcome seems improbable given that it’s the sole home head-to-head defeat Inter has experienced in their last nine meetings with Fiorentina (W6, D2).
Fiorentina’s midweek head-to-head triumph extended their winning streak in the league to three matches, providing an ideal recovery from their previous six-game winless run in Serie A (D2, L4). Without that downturn, La Viola might have had a firmer hold on a top-four position. Currently, they are striving to maintain their standing, with goal difference being the only factor keeping them in fourth place ahead of this round.
Encountering a team led by Simone Inzaghi might complicate their efforts to stay there, as Thursday’s victory was just Fiorentina’s third in their last 17 encounters of this kind (D3, L11). This record paints a rather grim picture, and having secured only two victories from their last 14 away games in Serie A played on a Monday (D5, L7) does not offer much encouragement either.
Key players to keep an eye on: Inter’s Marcus Thuram is currently experiencing a goal drought, having not found the net in his last five league appearances. Patience may be required to break this streak as his previous four Serie A goals were all scored after the 60-minute mark. Meanwhile, Moise Kean impressively scored twice in the second half against Fiorentina on Thursday, but it’s noteworthy that three out of his four away league goals this season were scored before the break.
Interesting fact: Inter’s matches in Serie A have seen an average of 3.39 goals per game, the highest in the league prior to this round.
