Arch-rivals Juventus and Inter Milan will meet for the third time this season on Tuesday for a first-leg advantage in their Coppa Italia semi-final tie.
Team Form
Juventus
Juventus’ recent performances have given their fans reason to hope for a successful season, as they secured their third consecutive Serie A win over relegation-threatened Verona.
Their recent form has been impressive, winning eight of their last nine games, including their exploits in the Europa League. With the gap to Inter now just six points, their dreams of finishing in the European places are becoming more realistic by the day.
In the upcoming busy month of April, Juventus will face Sporting in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
The Bianconeri have already eliminated Monza and Lazio in previous rounds of Coppa Italia and will now set their sights on reaching the final in May.
They will also take on Inter in a two-legged Coppa tie, hoping to avenge last year’s final defeat. The winner of the semi-final clash between Fiorentina and Cremonese will be their opposition.
Juventus Form (All Competitions): W W W W W
Inter Milan
As the Serie A season progresses, several teams are vying for a place in Europe, while league leaders Napoli remains in a league of their own. Meanwhile, Inter Milan’s head coach, Simone Inzaghi, is under pressure to deliver some silverware following a lacklustre campaign.
Inter’s fate could be decided in the coming weeks, starting with the crucial Derby d’Italia clash on Tuesday. A victory in this match would bring them one step closer to reaching the cup final.
Additionally, Inter’s Champions League aspirations are still alive as they face Benfica in the quarter-finals. Despite the odds stacked against them, a surprise triumph in the competition is not out of the question.
Inter Milan Form (All Competitions): W L D L L
Squad Report
Juventus
Ahead of their next game, Juventus will be without key players, including captain Leonardo Bonucci and Paul Pogba, who is unavailable once again. Additionally, Federico Chiesa is struggling with lingering injuries, and his return to the team after a long period on the sidelines has not gone as planned.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar is still struggling with a back problem and is set to miss their upcoming match.
However, there is some good news for the team as Hakan Calhanoglu may return to the pitch after being sidelined by a muscular injury he picked up while representing Turkey last month.
Juventus’ expected starting lineup:
Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Gatti; De Sciglio, Miretti, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Di Maria; Vlahovic
Inter Milan’s expected starting lineup:
Onana; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Mkhitaryan, Gosens; Martinez, Dzeko
Head to Head
The upcoming match between Juventus and Inter Milan marks the 62nd time these two teams have faced each other.
Of the 61 previous matches, Juventus emerged victorious in 26 games, while Inter won 15. The remaining 20 matches ended in draws.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Tuesday, April 04
Time: 07:00 pm, UTC
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Turin
Prediction
The Derby d’Italia is known for being a highly charged and emotional affair, and this meeting between Juventus and Inter Milan will be no exception.
