Sampdoria vs Inter Milan

Sampdoria are the latest Serie A side to be given a crack at trying to stop the runaway train that is Inter Milan in week 24 as they host the league leaders at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris at Marassi. Inter are the only side in the league that have yet to lose a match this year.

The blucerchiati come into this contest off of a big win in their derby match away to Genoa by a score of 0-1. With those 3 points Samp are now in 7^th place of the league table with 34 points on the season. That leaves them 2 points back of 6^th place Udinese and 3 ahead of 8^th place Palermo. They have now won 2 straight matches and 3 of their last 5 with 1 draw along the way. Manager Mazzari has had 3 players ruled out for this contest against the mighty Inter and they are Montella and Sala due to injury while Volpi is out suspended. Sammarco, who had been out for a while due to injury will return to the bench.

Inter Milan have been just like clockwork so far this season. In week 23 they produced yet another win, this time by a score of 2-0 at the Stadio San Siro over Livorno. That win, coupled with Roma’s loss to Juventus helps manager Roberto Mancini’s side open up an 11 point lead over the second place Roma with 59 points on the season. They are now winners of 3 straight matches and have not conceded a goal in 4 straight. The club did suffer some adversity early this week when they lost away to Liverpool in the Champions League by a score of 2-0 which leaves them in a very dangerous spot at home for the return leg. Also, the club will be missing quite a few starters this week including their striker combination of Julio Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic who are both expected to sit. Suazo and Crespo are likely to take their spots. Meanwhile, Colombian international Ivan Ramiro Cordoba joins Dacourt, Samuel and Jimenez on the injured list.

This match represents the best chance Sampdoria could hope for to defeat Inter. The neroazzurri are down after losing to the Reds and are missing a number of key players. Still, defensively they are spectacular and it will take an almost perfect performance from Sampdoria to pull off the upset.

Prediction: Draw (0-0)