Italian Serie A - Match Preview: http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Calcio-Catania-c38719 vs Inter Milan
Catania musings: Etnei looking for home advantage
The Rossazzurri have been a bottom half team for quite some time now. Last season, Marco Giampaolo side finished 13th in the league and expectations are the same this time around – each season spent in Serie A is a bonus.
As things stand, Etnei are fourteenth in the league with 21 points from their opening 18 games. Where Giampaolo’s men have a miserable away record; just three points from nine away games, their home form has kept them afloat. Rossazzurri are 6th
in the league when it comes to home form; the only team with an unbeaten home record in the league this season.
Etnei now welcome a hungry Inter Milan side to Stadio Angelo Massimino. Nerazzurri, under Leonardo, are looking the real deal and even a draw against the reining Italian and European champions would be a great result.
Inter Milan musings: New Year, New Start for Nerazzurri
Finally, after much media commotion, Leonardo gets to manage his troops. Inter Milan sacked Rafa Benitez last month and the former AC Milan fan favourite was brought in. Much to his credit, the Brazilian has delivered instant results.
Even though a lot should not be read into Leonardo’s 3 – 1 victory over http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Napoli-c40003, the fact the Nerazzurri managed to turn on the heat against the then second placed Serie A side cannot be discounted. The victory would have done wonders to the squad’s confidence
and morale.
The Brazilian, as evident in the victory over Partenopei, has already won the Nerazzurri dressing room – something Rafa Benitez failed to achieve during his miserable stint. Leonardo’s motivational skills will be critical for Inter’s success formula. When
the squad travels to Sicily today, a victory would be a safe bet. However, Leonardo must warn his troops against complacency.
Team News
Calcio Catania
Giampaolo will be without a host of key players for this game. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alessandro-Potenza-c4738 will all miss the match due to their respective injuries.
The tactician is expected to field a standard 4-4-2 formation with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mirco-Antenucci-c25993 and Maxi Lopez leading the Sicilian lines.
Inter Milan
Leonardo will have to do without the services of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Julio-Cesar-c19961. All the aforementioned players are nursing their respective injuries back home. On a positive note, Samuel Eto’o will return to first team
after serving out his three match suspension.
Leonardo will stick to the 4-3-1-2 formation that worked a treat in the previous game. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Diego-Milito-c11166 will re-enact their partnership upfront.
Key Players
Mariano Andujar
Inter Milan, owing much to Leonardo’s attacking mentality, will go for broke in all probability. The approach worked extremely well against Napoli and same will be the case today. Andujar’s goal will be heavily bombarded by Eto’o and co. Etnei custodian
will have to deliver a man-of-the-match performance to eke out a result for his team.
Samuel Eto’o
The Cameroonian is yet to play under Leonardo, but he will most definitely start as the primary attacking threat. Eto’o will be extremely fresh – winter break and a three game suspension – upon his return and raring to go.
Prediction
The game will be a cagey affair. Catania will fight for a result while anything less than three points will be a failure for Leonardo. Nerazzurri have a far superior squad, and their quality will show during the ninety minutes. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan to grind out a
0 – 1 result away from home!
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