Anticipation is soaring as the 184th Serie A Derby d’Italia approaches, following the thrilling eight-goal encounter between Juventus and Inter Milan earlier this season. Juventus, known for their drawn matches, have seen a recent improvement with three consecutive victories, notably defeating PSV 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg.
In their recent Serie A fixture, Juventus triumphed over Como with a 2-1 scoreline, marking their first back-to-back league wins since early November and maintaining pressure on their European rivals. Unbeaten at home in Serie A this season, Juventus are set to return to Allianz Stadium, aiming for a third successive home victory in the league for the first time this campaign.
Inter edged closer to the top spot in Serie A by defeating Fiorentina 2-1 on Monday night, seeking redemption for their recent 3-0 loss to the same rival. Despite a recent slump with only one win in their last three league games (D1, L1), Inter still possess the most formidable attack in Serie A (GF 58), a strength that could prove crucial given their struggles to score more than once in most of their recent visits to Juventus.
Although not consistently successful at this venue, Inter have suffered just one defeat in their last four competitive visits (W1, D2), instilling confidence in their ability to bounce back following the end of their seven-game winning streak without conceding away from home in the league, which was disrupted by two disappointing results (D1, L1). Scoring first may be pivotal in this match, as only one of Inter’s last 12 away games across all competitions has seen both teams hitting the back of the net.
Key Players to Watch: Samuel Mbangula showcased his prowess by securing the winning goal against PSV and has successfully scored three out of his four seasonal goals post halftime. Notably, three of these goals were instrumental in clinching victories, with the remaining goal salvaging a crucial point during injury time in the second half. Hakan Çalhanoğlu has been pivotal in Inter’s success, contributing to six out of their last seven wins with clean sheets, including scoring the sole goal in their recent away head-to-head triumph.
Noteworthy Stat: A significant trend reveals that nine out of the last 12 goals scored in Juventus vs. Inter matches occurred before the halftime interval.
