Inter recovered quickly from the shocking home defeat to Turin, taking all three points on a difficult away match against Frosinone. Mancini’s side wasn’t playing some good football but still managed to pick up three points and to gain two points ahead of Fiorentina and to reduce the gap to third placed Roma to six points.

SERIE A
April 16, 2016 • 19:45 • Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milano

In that match, the home team Frosinone hit the goal crossbar, but failed to score, while on the other side on Perisic’s assist Icardi managed to score the only goal of the match, a goal worth all three points.

This Saturdy in late tonight term, ahead of Nerazurri is an extremely difficult match with Napoli at the San Siro, but this season Mancini’s side already shown that they can match to Napoli’s game. Twice this season Inter played at the San Paolo. In the Seria A competition Napoli happily preserved the victory late in the game against Inter who played the entire second half with one player less, while in the Coppa Italia Inter celebrated with goals of Balkan duo Jovetic and Ljajic.

Interestingly, there are only six games before the end of the season, and both Inter and Napoli are looking to move one step above their current position, and to do so, they will have to reduce the six points gap, which means there will be no calculations in this game and both teams will aim to score goals.

Mancini expects a demanding encounter:

– Napoli is having a beautiful season, and matches between Inter and Napoli often are beautiful. For us it is important to achieve a positive result. Higuain scored 30 goals, one per game, something that no other player has manage. This is a player that changes each team. But now, they will have Gabbiadini at front who’s young, but still the one, who can make a difference and put us in trouble.

For encounter with Napoli, Roberto Mancini doesn’t have injury problems nor the suspension problems, just a “sweet” problems of making the starting lineup.
Most likely Inter play in a 4-3-3 system with Perisic and Palacio on the wings, with Icardi playing as a central striker, although it is possible that Mancini surprises with introduction of Ljajic and Jovetic in the starting lineup.

Defeat in Udine was a big blow to Napoli’s championship ambitions, but with Sunday’s easy 3-0 win over the bottom club Verona, Sarri’s team has shown that there is no intention of giving up on the fight for the title as long as mathematically they can reach Juventus. The good news for Napoli boss is that his team reacted well in the first of four games in which they will have to play without their top striker Higuain, who’s serving a suspension, which he picked up in the game with Udinese.

Gabbiadini who scored the leading goal against Verona, was Higuain’s replacement and the remaining two goals in the same game have scored wingers Insigne and Callejon.

Before the meeting with Inter Sarri has decided to cancel the pre match interview to the media, probably wanting to avoid questions about the fight with Mancini after the last mutual game in the Cup. Then Mancini accused Sarri for homophobic statements, Napoli’s coach was threatened with the long-term suspension, but tension between the clubs were quickly calmed down.

The visitors have no injury problems, which means that for the clash with Inter Sarri will only miss Higuain who’s out for three more games due to suspension. Napoli during the week complained about the severity of the punishment for Higuain and the club expects a reduction of the suspension, but at the San Siro, Argentine striker will certainly not play.
In Sarri’s 4-3-3 formation with Insigne and Callejon on the wings, Gabbiadini should start the game instead of Higuain.

Team Probable lineups:

Inter: Handanović, Nagatomo, Murillo, Miranda, D’Ambrosio, Kondogbia, Medel, Brozović, Perišić, Icardi, Palacio

Napoli: Reina, Ghoulam, Koulibaly, Albiol, Hysaj, Hamšik, Jorginho, Allan, Insigne, Gabbiadini, Callejon

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