Welcome to the San Siro Stadium, where history and passion collide in a thrilling encounter between two of Italy’s football giants: Inter Milan and Napoli. This isn’t just any match; it’s a clash steeped in drama, rivalry, and a rich tapestry of footballing heritage.
To win (90 min)
Inter Milan 17/20
Draw 47/20
Napoli 32/10
Inter Milan
Inter Milan has begun their title defence in fine fashion and is looking to claim the Scudetto for the second year running. This impressive start to the 2024/25 season has seen Milan win seven, drawn three, and one defeat across their opening 11 fixtures.
The Nerazzurri remain unbeaten in the previous five league fixtures, collecting 13 points from a possible 15. Simone Inzaghi will know the importance of this fixture and the impact it could have on the title chase, despite being this early into the season.
In their recent fixture against struggling Venezia, Milan did not hold back and take this fixture for granted, given the situation Venezia finds themselves in, at the bottom of the table but showed their quality to go out and remain focused on the job at hand, adding another valuable three points to their tally.
Milan will turn their attention to the Champions League ahead of their Serie A clash with Napoli. They will welcome Arsenal to the iconic San Siro on Wednesday evening which Inzaghi will need to be cautious about and perhaps rotate his squad to be fresh and prepared for Napoli come the weekend.
Playing at home after a tough Champions League encounter could be exactly what Milan needs to secure a massive victory over league leaders Napoli. The atmosphere will be electric as always and the energy around the stadium will fuel their performance and give them that extra boost of confidence, they will need on the day.
Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez will be tough to contain for Napoli as the attacking pair continues to deliver week in and week out with their goal contributions and assists. Davide Frattesi and former Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski have been exceptional since their arrival and will be key players for Milan in this top-of-the-table clash.
Napoli
To say Napoli are not contenders for the Scudetto title this season is an understatement. They occupy first place with eight wins, drawn one, and lost two across their 11 fixtures. Antonio Conte can no longer brush off talk of a Scudetto triumph after their near-perfect start to the season.
The Partenopei are on an illustrious run of form despite the minor setback after losing 3-0 at home to Atalanta. They looked like fatigue had settled in and could not take control of the game to play their normal free-flowing football like they always do.
The past two weeks have been a stern test of resilience and determination for Conte and his men coming up against AC Milan and in-form Atalanta. This fixture is a shot at redemption and more importantly to maintain their place at the summit of the log table.
Conte will know how hostile the atmosphere will be at the San Siro but will rely on their Neapolitan fans to make the trip and rally behind them in hopes of securing a massive victory in enemy territory. While Milan will be involved in mid-week Champions League football, Napoli will have the luxury of resting and fine-tuning preparations for their heavy-weight clash with Milan on the weekend.
Napoli has been exceptional on their travels thus far, considering, they have had a complete change in style of play from previous seasons with Conte at the helm while integrating new players into his set-up. Although they have lost some key players, Conte has managed to go into the transfer market and strengthen his squad with quality replacements.
Former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has been performing at his best with four goals and four assists to his name. Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has returned to his best after a dismal campaign last season and has registered five goals and two assists. David Neres is another player to keep an eye on because of his speed, dribbling ability, and eye to pick out a pass in dangerous areas.
Prediction: Inter Milan to win.
The most recent matchup between these two Italian giants ended in a draw but I don’t see that happening again here. With home-ground advantage and the stronger of the two attacking forces, Milan should collect maximum points against their title rivals.
Written by Marc Strydom.