Italian Serie A Match Preview: AS Bari vs. Inter Milan
Relegation beckons for i Galletti
Many football critics predicted the White-Reds to struggle this season, but only few would have expected AS Bari to be overrun in the league. Going into round 23 of Serie A, i Galletti are placed at the bottom of the league with
14 points to their name. Last season’s 10th place finish is a distant memory now.
As things stand, Bari are nine points adrift of 17th placed Catania Calcio, who occupy the last berth in the safety zone. With the squad untouched in the January transfer window, there is little room for optimism, with
relegation looming at the end of the tunnel.
However, i Galletti manager, Giuseppe Ventura is trying his best to look at the glass as half full.
"I think the team is improving even though results are not going our way. We are in a difficult position but if we were to win two games in a row, things would change” Ventura said.
Leonardo looking to close the gap
Leonardo’s spell in the Black-and-Blue half of Milan so far has been a success to say the least. Six victories in seven games are what the Brazilian has achieved since he took charge at Angelo Moratti Sports Centre, bringing
Inter Milan back into the title race. With AC Milan, AS http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan have been gifted an ideal opportunity to gain a spot in the Serie A Top 3.
Leonardo’s men are ranked fifth in the league table with 38 points to their name. A victory tonight will leave them seven points shy of a top ranking with a game to spare. Furthermore, Leonardo is likely to have Wesley Sneijder
back in the lineup for this game - things just keep on getting better for the Brazilian tactician.
Inter Milan will look to attack the opposition right from the onset, and anything less than three points will be deemed as a failure.
Team News
AS Bari
Ventura will have to do without the services of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Abdelkader-Ghezzal-c3152 in this game as all the aforementioned players are have been sidelined due to injuries.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gergely-Rudolf-c14699 and Stefano Okaka will lead the lines in Ventura’s 4-4-2 formation.
Inter Milan
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Wesley-Sneijder-c36799 from his long-term injury. Japanese left-back,
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Yuto-Nagatomo-c37726 is expected to be given his Serie A debut in the left-back position.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Goran-Pandev-c15161 pulling the strings from his trequartista role.
Key Players
Stefano Okaka
With relegation almost a certainty, it is unlikely that the i Galletti players will have any motivation left to play. However, that does not hold true for the on-loan forward, Stefano Okaka. The AS Roma youngster will be eager
to impress his new employers in order to get into Claudio Ranieri’s good books back at home.
Giampaolo Pazzini
Pazzini’s Nerazzurri debut could not have been any better as he scored a brace and added an assist in just 45 minutes against US Palermo; Inter Milan registered a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in that game. Pazzini will start from
the off in this game and it would be interesting to see how he answers his coach’s call.
Prediction
The game will be a one-sided affair with Inter Milan dominating the proceedings. i Galletti are no match for the Nerazzurri might. Samuel Eto’o and company will thrash the home side to register a 3-0 victory.
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