Match day 28 in Serie A brings us yet another fascinating clash as Inter Milan welcome bitter regional rivals Atalanta to the San Siro in a contest that could also have a huge bearing on European places.

 

Inter vs Atalanta is always a big match regardless of where both sides are positioned, but when the sides are 6th and 5th respectively in the table and battling it out for European positions, it becomes that much bigger. The players will also be well aware of how much this means to the fans as both ultra-groups aren’t very fond of one another. Personally, it will hold great importance to Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini as he was sacked by Inter in 2011. 

 

Atalanta are in sparkling form, winning four in a row including away at Napoli before drawing last time out against Fiorentina, giving them 13 points from a possible 15 and fending off all competitors behind them. 
 

Inter responded well last week with a dominant performance away at Cagliari following the home defeat to Roma. The 5-1 hammering in Sardinia was one of the best we have seen this season for the Nerazzurri and they will be anxious to follow that up here.  Ever Banega was given a starting berth in that fixture and duly responded with his finest performance of the campaign, which included an assist and a fabulous free kick goal. The classy Argentine is likely to keep his place as Stefano Pioli should stick with a 4-2-3-1 line up.

All eyes will be on ex-Atalanta star Roberto Gagliardini who banged in his first goal for Inter last week and will be coming up against his old team mates for the first time following his January transfer. So far his looked like one of the signings of the season and will look to continue that form tomorrow.  


 

Pioli will also be happy to be welcoming back Marcelo Brozovic from injury, however it’s unlikely he will be rushed back into the starting line-up after a setback following his hasty inclusion into the squad for the Roma game. It should then leave Gagliardini to be partnered in the middle by improving Frenchman Geoffrey Kondogbia. 
 

Inters wide men have been some of the stand out performers for the side lately and it definitely hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Antonio Conte’s Chelsea heavily linked with a move for Italian international Antonio Candreva, as well as other Premier League sides being linked with moves for Ivan Perisic. The Croatian winger is having his most prolific season of his career following a brace against Cagliari. Both players are pretty much guaranteed a starting berth in Inter's strongest eleven and will be heavily relied on to attack the impressive wing backs of Atalanta.
 

Finally, Captain Mauro Icardi will look to follow up his strike last week and catch up in the race for Capocannoniere after falling behind the leading pack recently; the Argentine is currently five goals behind leader Andrea Belotti.

 

This one looks set to be one of games of the season, with so much at stake and both teams in form; fans at the San Siro are in for a real treat. 

 

Probable Starting Line-Ups:
 

Inter: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Murillo, Miranda, Ansaldi; Gagliardini, Kondogbia; Candreva, Banega, Perisic; Icardi
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Atalanta: Berisha; Toloi, Caldara, Zukanovic; Conti, Kessie, Freuler, Spinazzola; Kurtic; Gomez, Petagna