Mauro Icardi and co welcome basement side Pescara to the San Siro in round 22, as they look achieve their 7th Serie A win on the bounce and their 9th in all competitions.
 

Following Frank De Boers abysmal time in charge of the Nerazzurri, Stefano Pioli has got them heading back towards the Champions League places, a quite astonishing feat that shouldn’t be overlooked. However Pioli’s problem as a coach has always been consistency.

 

That doesn’t look like it will be a problem this evening, as Pescara is probably the least threatening side in Serie A at the moment. Massimo Oddo’s team have only had the one victory and that was handed to them by Lega Serie A, after Sassuolo fielded an ineligible player earlier on in the season. 

 

Delfini fans have completely turned on the squad and very few travelling fans are expected. It seems as though once again, they look destined for a quick-fire return back down to Serie B. A positive note coming out of Abruzzo is the acquisition of ex-Inter treble winner Sulley Muntari and Oddo will be hoping for miracles from the Ghanaian.  

 

Inter who are coming off a slender 1-0 win over Palermo at the Renzo Barbera, are likely to stick with the 4-2-3-1 system which has coincided with their run of victories. Unfortunately for Pioli he will be without Cristian Ansaldi, who is suspended, so Japanese international Yuto Nagatomo and ex-youth product Davide Santon will be the players who will vying for a starting place this evening.

 

Likely to start his fourth game in a row is new signing Roberto Gagliardini, the young Italian has shown maturity well beyond his years since joining from Atalanta. He is likely to be partnered in midfield by Geoffrey Kondogbia, the Frenchman who was linked with an exit in January but who has been re-born under Pioli.

 

The coach will have a little selection headache in who to field in the central attacking midfield role as Joao Mario who netted last time out and Marcelo Brozovic are both in great form and deserve a start. Pioli may look to use Joao Mario for impact off the bench if needed, as he offers a little more spark the Brozo.

 

Antonio Candreva and Ivan Perisic have the wide spots sown up, however given the opponent; we may well see one of them rested, although it remains unlikely. 

 

Captain Icardi looks set to lead the line, as Pescara are one his favourite opponents to score against.

 

Final word: With Icardi on form it will be damage control for Pescara.

Probable starting line-ups:

 

Inter: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Murillo, Miranda, Nagatomo; Gagliardini, Kondogbia; Candreva, Perisic, Joao Mario; Icardi
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Pescara: Bizzarri; Fornasier, Stendardo, Coda; Crescenzi, Verre, Bruno, Memushaj, Biraghi; Bahebeck, Pepe
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​Ciro Di Baselli