October 22, 2012 12:00 AM EST
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza — Milano
Referee: C. Russo
Attendance: 48708
Inter - Catania Preview: Both sides looking upwards in post-international clash
The Nerazzurri will be aiming to cement their status as title contenders when they welcome the Sicilians to San Siro on Sunday
By William Shand
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
|
INTER
Handanovic Ranocchia, Samuel, Juan Jesus Zanetti, Guarin, Gargano, Cambiasso, Pereira Cassano, Milito |
CATANIA
Andujar Legrottaglie, Spolli, Marchese Izco, Lodi, Almiron Barrientos, Bergessio, Gomez |
Inter will look to continue their good form following an international break that came at exactly the wrong time for them. Andrea Stramaccioni's men have been rapidly improving in the league, boasting recent victories over both Fiorentina and, more tellingly, AC Milan.
The Nerazzurri will be hopeful of continuing their momentum and, accordingly, the 36-year-old will not alter his team beyond enforced changes. Talisman Wesley Sneijder is still unavailable due to a knee injury while Yuto Nagatomo is suspended following his red card against Milan. Dejan Stankovic and Christian Chivu have also been ruled out due to injury.
Inter will again line up in a 3-5-2 formation, with the back three of Juan Jesus, Andrea Ranocchia and Walter Samuel now firmly established as Stramaccioni preferred defensive option. The width will be provided by the evergreen Javier Zanetti and Alvaro Pereira, while Diego Milito and Antonio Cassano will spearhead the attack.
Catania, meanwhile, have been enjoying life under Rolando Maran. The Sicilian outfit currently sit in seventh place and have shown their quality with draws against the likes of Roma and Napoli. In the last round of fixtures, they gained three points at the expense of Parma in a 2-0 victory.
The Rossazzurri will make just one change from their last match, with defender Giuseppe Bellusci making way for Nicolas Spolli due to injury. Otherwise, though, Maran will stick to his tried and tested 4-3-3 formation and, like his opposite number, he will be hoping that his side pick up where they left off and, perhaps, climb even higher.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
Victory over Catania would be Inter's fourth league victory in a row.
- Antonio Cassano (pictured, right) is the Nerazzurri's top scorer in the league with four goals from seven games.
- Last season's corresponding fixture ended in a 2-2 draw.
- Catania were founded in 1908.
- Despite their comfortable league position, the Sicilian outfit have not won two Serie A games in a row all season.
- Away from home, they have only managed two goals this season.
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Inter 3-0 Catania
- 26.33 %
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Inter 2-0 Catania
- 22.23 %
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Inter 3-1 Catania
- 12.42 %
| Italy - Serie A (ITA1) | 04/03/2013 | Catania 2 - Inter 3 | |
| Italy - Serie A (ITA1) | 22/10/2012 | Inter 2 - Catania 0 | |
| Italy - Serie A (ITA1) | 05/03/2012 | Inter 2 - Catania 2 | |
| Italy - Serie A (ITA1) | 16/10/2011 | Catania 2 - Inter 1 | |
| Italy - Serie A (ITA1) | 23/05/2011 | Inter 3 - Catania 1 |
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| 20/05/2013 | Inter 2 - Udinese 5 | ITA1 |
| 12/05/2013 | Genoa 0 - Inter 0 | ITA1 |
| 09/05/2013 | Inter 1 - Lazio 3 | ITA1 |
| 06/05/2013 | Napoli 3 - Inter 1 | ITA1 |
| 28/04/2013 | Palermo 1 - Inter 0 | ITA1 |
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| 20/05/2013 | Torino 2 - Catania 2 | ITA1 |
| 12/05/2013 | Catania 1 - Pescara 0 | ITA1 |
| 09/05/2013 | Sampdoria 1 - Catania 1 | ITA1 |
| 05/05/2013 | Catania 3 - Siena 0 | ITA1 |
| 29/04/2013 | Milan 4 - Catania 2 | ITA1 |
| 1 | Samir Handanoviç | Goalkeeper |
| 4 | Javier Adelmar Zanetti | Defender |
| 23 | Andrea Ranocchia | Defender |
| 25 | Walter Adrian Samuel | Defender |
| 40 | Juan | Defender |
| 16 | Gaby Mudingayi | Midfielder |
| 19 | Esteban Matias Cambiasso | Midfielder |
| 20 | Obi | Midfielder |
| 8 | Rodrigo Palacio | Striker |
| 22 | Diego Alberto Milito | Striker |
| 99 | Antonio Cassano | Striker |
| 27 | Vid Belec | Goalkeeper |
| 32 | Matteo Cincilla | Goalkeeper |
| 6 | Matías Silvestre | Defender |
| 11 | Alvaro Pereira | Midfielder |
| 33 | Ibrahima Mbaye | Defender |
| 42 | Jonathan | Defender |
| - | Coutinho | Midfielder |
| 11 | Ricardo Gabriel Álvarez | Midfielder |
| 14 | Fredy Guarín | Midfielder |
| 5 | Walter Gargano | Midfielder |
| - | A. Duncan | Midfielder |
| - | Marko Livaja | Striker |
| 21 | Mariano Gonzalo Andújar | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Nicolás Federico Spolli | Defender |
| 6 | Nicola Legrottaglie | Defender |
| 12 | Giovanni Marchese | Defender |
| 22 | P. Álvarez | Defender |
| 4 | Sergio Bernardo Almiron | Midfielder |
| 10 | Francesco Lodi | Midfielder |
| 13 | Mariano Julio Izco | Midfielder |
| 28 | Pablo César Barrientos | Midfielder |
| 18 | Gonzalo Bergessio | Striker |
| 17 | Alejandro Gómez | Midfielder |
| 1 | Alberto Frison | Goalkeeper |
| - | Giuseppe Messina | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Alessandro Potenza | Defender |
| 5 | A. Rolín | Defender |
| 33 | Ciro Capuano | Defender |
| 19 | Lucas Castro | Midfielder |
| 24 | Adrian Ricchiuti | Midfielder |
| 27 | Marco Biagianti | Midfielder |
| 30 | Amidu Salifu | Midfielder |
| - | Takayuki Morimoto | Striker |
| 35 | Souleymane Doukara | Striker |
| Antonio Cassano | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 99 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Alejandro Gómez | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 17 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Edinson Cavani Striker Napoli |
29 | 7 |
|
|
Antonio Di Natale Striker Udinese |
23 | 4 |
|
|
Pablo Daniel Osvaldo Striker Roma |
16 | 2 |
|
|
Stephan El Shaarawy Striker Milan |
16 | 0 |
|
|
Germán Denis Striker Atalanta |
15 | 5 |
