Inter Milan will try to take the lead on Saturday night when they host Genoa at San Siro after failing to capitalize on another mistake from their Scudetto opponents.
They lost their spot at the top of Serie A after losing to Juventus in the Derby d'Italia, and now an ex-Inter player is out to do more harm. As the Italian title race approaches a pivotal stage, Inter's 1-0 loss to longtime rivals Juventus on Sunday night kept them two points behind Napoli with 13 matches left.
Denzel Dumfries and captain Lautaro Martinez both missed chances as the Nerazzurri dominated the first half in Turin, but Francisco Conceicao's goal past Yann Sommer in the 74th minute left them without a goal.
Because of this, Inter has lost two of its past three league games, which is equal to the number of losses they had suffered during the previous 54 games. As a result, there are concerns over whether the defending champions need a Manchester City-style makeover this summer.
After defeating Inzaghi's former team, Lazio, in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals, Simone Inzaghi's team still has a lot to play for in the meantime, including a Champions League last-16 match halfway through next month.
First, Inter returns to league action with the goal of winning three straight Serie A home games for the first time this season and for the first time since they won nine straight in March to win the championship.
The team from Italy’s second-largest city has been dominant against sides in the lower half of the table this season, securing 11 wins and two draws from 13 matches. Their record against Genoa is even more impressive.
Inter have triumphed in their last 10 league encounters with Genoa at San Siro, boasting a staggering aggregate score of 27-2. The last time they suffered a defeat in this fixture was all the way back in 1994.
Genoa, meanwhile, have struggled against the Nerazzurri, failing to claim a league victory in their last 11 meetings. However, they have managed to hold Inter to a draw in three of their last four matchups—including a thrilling 2-2 draw on the opening day of this season, when Junior Messias salvaged a point with a stoppage-time equalizer.
Under the guidance of former Inter midfielder Patrick Vieira, the Grifone have steadily climbed away from the relegation battle after a sluggish start to the campaign. Their latest match against struggling Venezia on Monday saw them secure a crucial three points.
With fewer than ten minutes left, top scorer Andrea Pinamonti eventually broke the tie, and Maxwel Cornet's first goal in Rossoblu colors completed the victory, giving the Rossoblu team its first three straight Serie A home wins without a loss since 2010.
With the victory, Vieira's team also moved up to 11th position, ahead of Torino. They now want to pass Udinese and finish in the top half.
Genoa has maintained seven clean sheets in 13 games since the French coach took over, more than any other club in Italy's top division. However, they will face the ultimate test on Saturday.
