Inter Milan vs Torino: 3 talking points ahead of kick-off | Serie A 2019/20
Inter Milan host Torino at the San Siro on Monday desperate to get back to winning ways.
The Nerazzurri have lost and drawn in the last two league games to lose some ground in the title race, but with Lazio and Juventus both dropping points too, its imperative for them to beat Torino to bounce right back in it.
However, it's easier said than done against a La Granata side who've caused a few upsets in the recent clashes. Inter won't be helped by several key players missing in action either.
With that and much more, here are 3 talking points ahead of the kick off:
Pressure on Inter to bounce back
When the 2019/20 season began in August last year, Inter Milan were heavy favourites to dethrone Juventus for the Serie A crown. A run of six consecutive wins from the opening six games further added fuel to Inter's title hopes, but what has transpired ever since is enough to suggest that it was merely a false dawn.
Inter Milan have once again struggled for consistency. Forget competing for the Scudetto, they now find themselves 11 points behind the Bianconeri albeit with a game in hand. With only three victories out of six since the season reconvened, Antonio Conte's men have continued to drop points clumsily, mounting further pressure on the beleaguered manager.
Fortunately for him, both Lazio and Juventus haven't been performing up to the mark and have dropped points lately. A win here would bring them level with Lazio on second, and eight points behind the holders, Juventus.
Can blistering Belotti make it six?
Torino may have gone through the motions since the restart, but Andrea Belotti has been firing at all cylinders. The striker is currently on one of his best ever goalscoring runs, netting in each of the last five games, and has a chance to extend his hot streak.
The 26-year old has struck only thrice against the black and blues in nine clashes, but interestingly, all of them have come at the San Siro. In fact, the first of those goals even ended up handing a victory to the Maroons! Now coming into the clash in such inspired form, he'd be fancying his chances again.
Will the real Lautaro finally stand up?
Inter Milan have some injury concerns heading into the tie, with Victor Moses, Nicolo Barella, and Stefano Sensi all ruled out of the clash. However, the more pressing concern is Romelu Lukaku's muscle issue, after he was forced off during the 2-2 draw against Hellas Verona.
Even though tests earlier today revealed there isn't any significant injury, Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the Belgian might still be dropped from the clash regardless. So if he were to indeed miss out, the onus of scoring falls on the shoulders of Lautaro Martinez, who's been running on fumes lately.
With 11 goals prior to the lockdown, the Argentine was one of the most improved players in the league, but he has struggled for form since the restart. He scored in the first match against Sampdoria, but has drawn a blank in the rest and looked out of sorts at times. Now with Lukaku, Moses, and Sensi all sidelined, this is his chance to step up to the plate again.