An unexpected and disappointing exit from the UEFA Champions League in midweek after failure to beat PSV Eindhoven at home left Inter fans pointing fingers at manager Luciano Spalletti and his players. A drop to 14 points off Serie A table-toppers Juventus in recent weeks has also rendered any hopes of a Scudetto challenge from Spalletti’s side this season as fanciful. Having begun with such promise, the Nerazzurri’s recent results have left their season in limbo, neither successful nor completely disastrous, yet.
No better way then, to respond to recent criticisms and get their season back on track than at home game against relegation-threatened Udinese. The Bianconeri Friuliani from the northeast province of Udine have had a fairly tumultuous 2018, currently on their fourth manager this calendar year.
The man in the hot seat since mid-November is Davide Nicola, whose last managerial post saw him keep newly promoted Crotone from relegation in the 2016/17 Serie A season. Udinese finished 14th in Italy’s top flight last season and survival in Serie A is the remit for Nicola, whose side currently sit 17th in the table.
Team News
The home side typically favours a 4-2-3-1 but have made the 4-3-3 a regular setup in recent games and so it was for this match. Mauro Icardi would take up his usual position as the #9, flanked by Keita Balde left and Matteo Politano right. Brozovic would stabilise the midfield in the #6 pivot role while João Mário and Borja Valero would do the legwork in midfield. Centre-backs Stefan De Vrij and Milan Škriniar are very comfortable in possession and were flanked by left-back Kwadwo Asamoah and right-back Šime Vrsaljko, #1 goalkeeper Samir Handanović would play between the sticks.
Defence first was the idea for Udinese, their 5-3-2 setup is built to frustrate and perhaps look to nick a chance or two through their forward duo, Rodrigo De Paul and Ignacio Pussetto. The experienced Valon Behrami would play in a holding midfield role, flanked by the athletic Rolando Mandragora and Seko Fofana. The back five was comprised of three centre-backs and a right-back, completed by a winger, Marco D’Alessandro, at left-wing-back.
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