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Inter Milan, close to clinching the 'Winter Champions' title, head to Genoa in their pursuit to widen their Serie A lead. Currently four points ahead of Juventus, Inter's recent win against Lecce bolstered their position, while their upcoming opponents, Genoa, moved away from the relegation zone by defeating Sassuolo.
While being dubbed 'Campioni d'Inverno' doesn't come with a trophy, historically, teams leading Serie A at the season's midpoint often secure the Scudetto later on. Consequently, Inter aims to intensify the pressure on their rivals by aiming for a fifth consecutive league victory.
In their last four Serie A matches, Inter has secured maximum points without conceding a goal, triumphing over Napoli, Udinese, Lazio, and most recently, Lecce. This streak solidifies their status as strong favorites for the league title.
Following their elimination from the Coppa Italia after a tense extra-time match against Bologna, Inter swiftly recovered in Serie A. They secured a win against Lecce at San Siro with goals from Yann Bisseck and Nicolo Barella on either side of halftime, bouncing back from the Cup disappointment.
Coach Simone Inzaghi achieved a significant milestone as his team scored in 25 consecutive Serie A matches, a record not reached by any previous manager of the Milan club.
Inter's defensive performance this season stands out, boasting the fewest goals conceded (seven) and the most clean sheets (12) among Europe's top five leagues.
Their upcoming match takes them to Stadio Luigi Ferraris, a ground where they haven't conceded against Genoa since 2018, winning three times and drawing once in their last four visits and scoring nine unanswered goals.
While Genoa faces a tough challenge against the Serie A leaders, Alberto Gilardino's team has displayed resilience, meeting their goal of avoiding an immediate return to Serie B with 19 points from their initial 17 games.
Genoa recently held Juventus to a 1-1 draw at home and showed fighting spirit in their last match, coming from behind to level the score against Sassuolo before securing a late victory.
Despite their strong home record and progress, Genoa remains just six points clear of the relegation zone with a significant portion of the season remaining. Their next fixtures include a visit from an in-form Bologna side after facing mighty Inter.
Once more, Inter will miss their captain Lautaro Martinez during Friday's game as he sustained a muscle injury against Bologna. He's expected to be out until next week. In his absence, Marko Arnautovic is likely to step in upfront alongside Marcus Thuram. Matteo Darmian will continue filling in for Denzel Dumfries as a wing-back, who hopes to return from injury but Federico Dimarco and Juan Cuadrado remain unavailable.
There's uncertainty if Benjamin Pavard will regain his spot in the team over Yann Bisseck. Meanwhile, Genoa will rely on top scorer Albert Gudmundsson, who has seven goals this season, to support Caleb Ekuban in attack. Alberto Gilardino's attacking choices might be limited due to Mateo Retegui and Junior Messias' probable absences, but Kevin Strootman recently returned to the squad after an injury layoff, providing more midfield options.
Genoa sits in 13th place in Serie A and has shown inconsistency this season. Their recent 2-1 win against Sassuolo boosts their confidence for the upcoming game.
In contrast, Inter Milan leads the league and maintains impressive form. Their recent 2-0 victory against Lecce demonstrates their strength, aiming for a similar outcome in the upcoming match.
Historically, Inter Milan has dominated Genoa, winning 22 out of their last 33 encounters compared to Genoa's five victories. Genoa has struggled to score against Inter Milan, failing to net a goal in their last eight Serie A meetings—a streak since 2016, their longest in this fixture.
At home, Genoa has drawn with Inter Milan 20 times in Serie A, a record second only to their results against Fiorentina. Genoa aims to extend their unbeaten streak in three consecutive league games, having recently earned four points in their last two matches.
Despite initially losing two of their first four home games this season, Genoa has shown improvement, remaining unbeaten in their last four home fixtures. Inter Milan boasts a formidable squad and is a strong contender for the Serie A title. Players like Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram possess great attacking prowess and seek to make an impact in the upcoming clash.
