The second semi-final of the Coppa Italia between Napoli and Inter Milan will produce the team that will join Juventus in the final after the Bianconerri scaled past AC Milan yesterday 1-1 on aggregate courtesy of an away goal.
Juve couldn’t will the game at home, and Cristiano Ronaldo lost a spot-kick that would have quickly put the team in command.
Both sides showed some rustiness due to the enforced coronavirus holiday of almost three months, but Juve is en route of winning a domestic double, with the team still on top of the Serie A with ten games to go.
Inter, on the other hand, has justified the amount spent on their star players this season with a scintillating performance, although Antonio Conte’s men are still nine points behind the Bianconerri.
The present huddle in front of them is overturning the 1-o deficit against the Pertonepei in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final to at least raise their hope of finishing the season with at least a trophy.
Napoli, on the other hand, has been struggling to get results in the domestic league. The cup clash could give them the impetus in contesting in other fronts, the Champions League, which they had played 1-1 draw against Barcelona at home.
For the present line up, the Nerrazurri is expected to have January signing, Christian Eriksen, in the starting line up r this evening. Napoli, on the other hand, is sweating over the fitness of Dries Mertens and Fabian Ruiz.
According to reports, the Danish playmaker will marshal the midfield behind strikers Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku. This could be the chance to show the stuff he is made of since his January switch from Tottenham Hotspurs. He has only managed a goal in eight appearances.
Andrea Ranocchia could get the nod in the defense ahead of Stefan de Vrij in Inter’s back three and Matias Vecino, Diego Godin, Danilo D’Ambrosio, and Lucien Agoume have all regained their fitness and are all unavailable for selection.
For Napoli, Nikola Maksimovic will be picked over the injured Kostas Manolas in central defense, while Matteo Politano could be brought into the fray to face his parent club.
Politano is reported to have been given the nod over Jose Callejon on the right-wing.
The clash is scheduled to kick off at the San Paolo Stadium at 20:00 BST.
Probably line up
Napoli (probable): Ospina; Di Lorenzo, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Mario Rui; Fabian, Demme, Zielinski; Politano, Mertens, Insigne
Inter (probable): Handanovic; Skriniar, Ranocchia, Bastoni; Candreva, Barella, Brozovic, Young; Eriksen; Lautaro, Lukaku.
