Catania vs Inter Milan

Catania are certainly up against the ropes in week 22 of Serie A as they are up against league leaders Inter Milan. In fact, the neroazzurri are the only side in the entire league that have yet to lose a match this season.

The side managed by Baldini come into this contest after losing on the road to Genoa last week by a score of 2-1. The loss extended Catania’s current winless run to 5 consecutive matches and they have not been able to win a match in 2008. The loss also keeps them winless away from home this season. The fact that Catania cannot win away from home puts more pressure on them to come through with a win this week regardless of the fact that they are taking on the mighty Inter. Catania’s current poor stretch of results which has seen them lose 3 of their last 5, drops them to 12^th place in Serie A with 23 points. They are 4 points back of Napoli and just ahead of Lazio on goal difference.

There is not much left to say about Inter Milan. They have dominated the Serie A over the past 2 seasons and no other side in the league appears able to keep up with them this season now that AS Roma have had their 13 match unbeaten run snapped. In week 21 the neroazzurri held serve at home by a score of 1-0 over Empoli at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. The win catapults the side managed by Roberto Mancini to 53 points on the year and they hold an 8 point advantage over 2^nd place Roma. They have been extremely strong away from home this year as well with 6 wins and 4 draws from 10 matches. While the injury list remains cluttered with Inter continue to role along. This week Maicon, Dacourt, Samuel, Cesar and Stankovic have all been ruled out while Vieira is out suspended. However, the play of the Chilean Jimenez along with Burdisso and Ibrahimovic upfront ensures that Inter Milan will still field a dominant starting eleven.

While Catania are having a very respectable first season back in Serie A, they would have to play what would amount to almost a perfect match in order to take the points this week. Inter Milan are about as well oiled a machine as can be and the play of their two strikers has been nothing short of spectacular. At best Catania will nab a share of the points.

Prediction: Draw (0-0)