It look sets to be a season defining round in Serie A this weekend, as AC Milan host Napoli and leaders Juventus welcome fourth placed Lazio.This presents a great opportunity for an in form Inter to gain on the pack as they travel to Sicily to face a struggling Palermo. Going for their sixth win in Serie A (Eighth in all competitions), Stefano Pioli’s men will be confident of picking up another three points.

 

In contrast to earlier on in the season, it all seems to be going the Nerazzurri’s way, with the backline looking cemented and attacking weapons Perisic and Icardi scoring plenty and playing brilliantly, Inter’s starting eleven just about picks itself. Also new signing Roberto Gagliardini has slotted in seamlessly to partner Kondogbia in midfield who himself has made a startling return to form under Pioli. 

Inter will likely stick with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Joao Mario playing in the number ten role alongside Perisic and Candreva. He showed more signs of his quality in midweek in the Coppa Italia with an audacious pass to find Palacio for his sides second goal. 

 

The only main issue facing Inter for this clash, is the fact that the midweek Coppa Italia fixture with Bologna went into extra time. It took a Candreva strike in the 98th minute to settle the tie and put Inter into the next round.

 

The Beneamata will be well aware they are only 5 points off third placed Napoli and a now sniffing around the Champions League places, something considered unimaginable at the beginning of December. 

 

Palermo are having another terrible season, already on their third coach, it’s quite possible a loss for Eugenio Corini could spell the end of his short stay back in Sicily. 

 

Stefano Pioli would defiantly know how his counterpart is feeling, having been sacked himself by the erratic Maurizio Zamparini back in August 2011 after just 90 days at the helm.

 

Coming off two defeats, their misery is also compounded by the fact that not only are they sitting in eighteenth position, but they are also eight points away from safety in the race for Serie A survival.

 

One shining light of the Rosanero’s dismal season, is the emergence of Macedonian hitman Ilija Nestorovski and more recently young Swedish international Robin Quaison. Nestorovski is the islanders top scorer with seven goals, whilst Quasion has four, including three in his last four games. If Palermo fail to beat the drop, the quality performances of these two players will allow the club to sell them, which will help them fund a return to Serie A.  

 

If Palermo are to have any chance, they will be hoping that these two are in super form and the fear of relegation fires up the players to achieve the near impossible task of claiming all three points.

 

Probable starting line-ups:
 

Posavec;

Vitiello, Gonzalez, Goldaniga;

Morganella, Jajalo, Bruno Henrique, Pezzella   

Embalo, Nestorovski, Quaison
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Handanovic;

D’Ambrosio, Miranda, Murillo, Ansaldi;

Gagliardini, Kondogbia;

Candreva, Joao Mario, Perisic,

Icardi 



Ciro Di Baselli