Italy - Serie A
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Played
August 26, 2012 7:45 PM BST
Stadio Adriatico-Giovanni Cornacchia — Pescara
Referee:‬ M. Guida‎
Attendance:‬ 22000‎
 
 
Wesley Sneijder 17′
 
Diego Alberto Milito 19′
 
Coutinho 81′

Pescara - Inter Preview: Nerazzurri open campaign against newly-promoted Delfini

Andrea Stramaccioni begins his first full season in charge with a tricky trip to the Adriatico to take on a side that are back in the top flight after a 19-year absence

By Mark Doyle

More On :  FC Internazionale, Pescara, Pescara vs FC Internazionale
  PROBABLE LINE-UPS

PESCARA

Perin
Zanon, Romagnoli, Capuano, Balzano
Nielsen, Colucci, Cascione
 Weiss, Abbruscato, Caprari
INTER

Castellazzi
Zanetti, Silvestre, Ranocchia, Nagatomo
Guarin, Cambiasso, Mudingayi
 Cassano, Sneijder
Milito

Antonio Cassano is poised to make his Inter debut in his new club’s Serie A opener against Pescara on Sunday evening.

The Italy international completed a surprise cross-town switch from AC Milan earlier this week as part of a swap deal that saw Giampaolo Pazzini move in the opposite direction and, with Rodrigo Palacio suspended, the Barese is expected to play alongside Diego Milito in attack, with Wesley Sneijder tucked in behind the front two.

Gaby Mudingayi picked up a knock in Thursday night's Europa League win over Vaslui but it is not thought that the injury will prevent the midfielder from making his first Serie A appearance for the Nerazzurri following his summer move from Bologna.

Another summer signing, Matias Silvestre, formerly of Palermo, is expected to line up alongside Andrea Ranocchia at the heart of the Inter defence, but Uruguay midfielder Walter Gargano, who has been prised away from Napoli, is likely to have to make do with a seat on the bench. Wing-back Alvaro Pereira is unavailable for selection, with his move from Porto not having been completed in time.

With Julio Cesar on the verge of joining QPR, Luca Castellazzi will deputise for injured goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, who arrived from Udinese during the off-season. Walter Samuel, Cristian Chivu, Ricky Alvarez and Dejan Stankovic have also been ruled out of the clash against the Delfini.

Speaking of the hosts, new coach Giovanni Stroppa, who has succeeded Zdenek Zeman at the helm, is to field new arrivals Gianluca Caprari, Elvis Abbruscato and Vladimir Weiss in a three-man attack, with fellow debutant Giuseppe Colucci likely to line up in the middle of the park.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Pescara finished level on points with Torino in Serie B last season but were crowned champions because of their superior head-to-head record, losing 4-2 in Turin but winning 2-0 at the Adriatico.
  • Nerazzurri captain Javier Zanetti made his 800th appearance for the club in all competitions in Thursday night's Europa League win over Vaslui.
  • Inter failed to pick up silverware last season for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign.
  • Pescara conceded more goals than every other side that finished in the top six in Serie B last season, 55, nearly twice as many as second-placed Torino, 28.
  • The Delfini, though, scored a staggering 90 goals, 27 more than the next most prolific side, Reggina, who netted 63 times.
  • However, star striking duo Ciro Immobile (28 goals) has joined Genoa, Lorenzo Insigne (18 goals) has returned to Napoli, while veteran forward Marco Sansovini (16 goals) has moved on to Spezia.
  • Antonio Cassano netted seven times in 33 Serie A appearances for Milan, after joining from Sampdoria during the 2011 January transfer window.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Pescara 0-3 FC Internazionale
    26.03 %
  • Pescara 0-2 FC Internazionale
    16.65 %
  • Pescara 1-3 FC Internazionale
    8.91 %
Head to Head
Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Jan 12, 2013 FC Internazionale 2 - Pescara 0
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Aug 26, 2012 Pescara 0 - FC Internazionale 3
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Last Five Matches
Pescara
May 19, 2013Pescara 1 - Fiorentina 5ITA1
May 11, 2013Catania 1 - Pescara 0ITA1
May 8, 2013Pescara 0 - AC Milan 4ITA1
May 5, 2013Genoa 4 - Pescara 1ITA1
Apr 27, 2013Pescara 0 - SSC Napoli 3ITA1
FC Internazionale
May 19, 2013FC Internazionale 2 - Udinese 5ITA1
May 12, 2013Genoa 0 - FC Internazionale 0ITA1
May 8, 2013FC Internazionale 1 - Lazio 3ITA1
May 5, 2013SSC Napoli 3 - FC Internazionale 1ITA1
Apr 28, 2013Palermo 1 - FC Internazionale 0ITA1
Odds
Returns: Pescara £1010.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £290.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Inter £20.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Team News
Available Squads
77Mattia PerinGoalkeeper
2Damiano ZanonDefender
5Marco CapuanoDefender
53Simone RomagnoliDefender
14Antonio BalzanoDefender
4Emmanuel CascioneMidfielder
17Vladimir WeissMidfielder
-Giuseppe ColucciMidfielder
-M. NielsenMidfielder
-JonathasStriker
99Gianluca CaprariMidfielder
-Luca AnaniaGoalkeeper
15Antonio BocchettiDefender
23Uros CosicDefender
-Christian TerlizziDefender
8Birkir BjarnasonMidfielder
26Manuele BlasiMidfielder
93J. QuinteroMidfielder
9Elvis AbbruscatoStriker
10Mervan CelikStriker
-Gastón BrugmanStriker
19LucasStriker
-Antonino RagusaStriker
12Luca CastellazziGoalkeeper
4Javier Adelmar ZanettiDefender
6Matías SilvestreDefender
23Andrea RanocchiaDefender
55Yuto NagatomoDefender
14Wesley SneijderMidfielder
14Fredy GuarínMidfielder
19Esteban Matias CambiassoMidfielder
5Walter GarganoMidfielder
22Diego Alberto MilitoStriker
99Antonio CassanoStriker
27Vid BelecGoalkeeper
32Matteo CincillaGoalkeeper
25Walter Adrian SamuelDefender
33Ibrahima MbayeDefender
40JuanDefender
42JonathanDefender
-Matteo BianchettiDefender
24Marco BenassiMidfielder
-A. DuncanMidfielder
-CoutinhoMidfielder
-Samuele LongoStriker
-Marko LivajaStriker
Players to Watch
Vladimir Weiss
Vladimir Weiss
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 17
Games Goals YC RC
22 4 8 2
Big things have long been expected of the Slovakia international, who joined Manchester City as a teenager. Loan spells at Bolton, Rangers and Espanyol all failed to materialise into permanent moves and Weiss is now set to try his luck in Serie A. The winger has only joined on a one-year deal, with the option of a third, so he will be desperate to make an immediate impact in Italy.
Antonio Cassano
Antonio Cassano
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 99
Games Goals YC RC
28 8 0 0
There can be no doubt that all eyes will be on Antonio Cassano at the Adriatico. The Azzurri attacker's decision to leave the Rossoneri for the Nerazzurri has been the subject of much debate. The merits of the move for everyone involved have been discussed at great length but now Cassano will seek to let his football do the talking and prove that Milan's loss is Inter's gain.
Prediction

Pescara return to the top flight as champions of Serie B but they do so without the man who masterminded their promotion, Zdenek Zeman, who departed for Roma, and a plethora of key players, including principal playmaker Marco Verratti. Consequently, while they are likely to prove stiff opposition to overcome, not least because of home advantage, expect an Inter side that appears to be taking shape under Stramaccioni to eek out a narrow win.

Editor's Prediction
Pescara 1
Inter 2
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Edinson Cavani Edinson Cavani
Striker
Napoli 		29 7
Antonio Di Natale Antonio Di Natale
Striker
Udinese 		23 4
Pablo Daniel Osvaldo Pablo Daniel Osvaldo
Striker
Roma 		16 2
Stephan El Shaarawy Stephan El Shaarawy
Midfielder
Milan 		16 0
Germán Denis Germán Denis
Striker
Atalanta 		15 5