Serie A Betting Preview: Inter Milan vs Napoli – Sunday, November 10, 2024
This Sunday, November 10th, Serie A giants Inter Milan and Napoli will clash at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in a high-stakes battle that could shape the top of the table. Current league leaders Napoli hold a narrow one-point lead over the reigning champions, but their unexpected home defeat last weekend has left the door open for Inter to reclaim the top spot.
Inter Milan are unbeaten in their last three matches against Napoli – winning two of them, including a 1-0 victory to clinch the Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup) last season. Moreover, Napoli have won only one of their last 11 meetings with the Nerazzurri across all competitions (losing six of them).
Inter Milan Betting Preview (-125 at EveryGame)
After securing three consecutive wins, including a crucial Champions League victory over Arsenal, Inter Milan enter Sunday’s matchup with momentum. A first-half penalty from Hakan Calhanoglu gave Inter the edge against Arsenal, bringing Simone Inzaghi’s side within two points of the top in Europe’s elite competition. With four clean sheets already in the Champions League group stage, the Nerazzurri look set to advance to the knockout rounds and are proving a formidable defensive unit.
In Serie A, The Partenopei’s recent stumble has pulled Inter within one point of the top, making Sunday’s game a pivotal contest in the Scudetto race. Inzaghi’s men have won eight of their last nine matches across all competitions, with their only misstep being an epic eight-goal thriller against Juventus. With a remarkable 28-game scoring streak in Serie A home matches – the third-longest run in Europe’s top five leagues – the Nerazzurri enter the final match before the international break on a high note.
Simone Inzaghi has several options for squad rotation, with only Carlos Augusto sidelined due to injury. Veteran defender Francesco Acerbi returned to training and could make the starting lineup this weekend.
Elsewhere, Marcus Thuram, who was limited to a part-time role midweek, is expected to rejoin Lautaro Martinez in attack. Lautaro, who scored three goals in his first four league games against Napoli, has struggled since, finding the net only once in his last eight encounters with the Partenopei.
With seven goals and two assists in 11 starts, Marcus Thuram remains Inter Milan’s leading scorer in Serie A. However, the Frenchman is yet to score a top-flight goal since he bagged a hat-trick to inspire his side’s 3-2 home win over Torino over a month ago (early-October).
Napoli Betting Preview (+360 at EveryGame)
One week after a bruising 3-0 home loss to Atalanta, Antonio Conte’s Napoli now face another formidable opponent, as Conte returns to San Siro, determined to secure a victory over one of his former clubs. Until last week, Napoli had gone unbeaten in 10 straight matches across league and cup, but Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta side exposed vulnerabilities in Napoli’s lineup, dealing Conte only his second three-goal defeat at home during his managerial career.
Napoli’s rare setback raises questions about their staying power in what has become an unpredictable Serie A title race. However, their recent away record is impressive – Antonio Conte’s men have kept four consecutive clean sheets, including a victory at San Siro against AC Milan, and have secured 10 points from their last four away league games.
Napoli’s frontline will be led by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the team’s top scorer this season, alongside ex-Inter forwards Romelu Lukaku and Matteo Politano. The Georgian attacker boasts five goals and two assists in 11 Serie A appearances this term as ‘Kvaradona’ recently scored crucial goals in Napoli’s away wins over Empoli and AC Milan.
Midfield dynamo Stanislav Lobotka has returned from injury, creating competition for Billy Gilmour, who has recently turned Conte’s criticism into praise.
Defensively, Mathias Olivera and Leonardo Spinazzola will vie for the left-back position, with captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo set to start on the right.
Possible Starting Lineups of Inter Milan and Napoli
Inter Milan: Yann Sommer – Benjamin Pavard, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni – Matteo Darmian, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco – Marcus Thuram, Lautaro Martinez. (3-5-2)
Napoli: Alex Meret – Mathías Olivera, Alessandro Buongiorno, Amir Rrahmani, Giovanni Di Lorenzo – Scott McTominay, Stanislav Lobotka, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Romelu Lukaku, Matteo Politano. (4-3-3)
Spooky Express Betting Prediction
Sunday night’s encounter promises a tactical duel between two of Italy’s elite managers, with psychology likely playing as crucial a role as strategy. Inter Milan, boasting both discipline and depth, come into the match with confidence, while Napoli, still solidifying their top-flight credentials, may face a tough test against a more experienced squad. Given Napoli’s struggle to overcome higher-ranked teams this season, Simone Inzaghi’s side could secure a home victory and regain their position at the Serie A summit.