Inter vs Monza kicks off on 22 Aug 2026 at 12:30 EST and 17:30 GMT.
Inter vs Monza as Serie A 2026-27 gets underway
Inter begins their Serie A title defence at San Siro against the newly-promoted Monza, whose last stint in the top-flight ended with a defeat at this iconic venue.
Inter comprehensively claimed their 21st Serie A title last season by 11 points, scoring the most goals (89) and conceding the joint-fourth-lowest (35). In his debut season at the helm, coach Cristian Chivu became just the fifth manager to win the Scudetto in his first year at the club. The Nerazzurri haven’t won consecutive league titles since 2009-10. Denzel Dumfries is a notable departure, while English defensive duo John Stones and Djed Spence have arrived to bolster the backline.
Getty ImagesMonza returned to the top flight after a one-year absence via the Serie B promotion play-offs, drawing 2-2 on aggregate in the final, before securing promotion by virtue of league position. New coach Ivan Jurić oversaw a 2-0 win over lower-division side Avellino last Friday to progress in the Coppa Italia, but Monza’s start to the Serie A season couldn't be tougher with a trip to the defending champions. Their most recent top-flight match was at the San Siro in a 2-0 defeat to Milan. The Biancorossi finished rock bottom of the 2024-25 table with 18 points. An improvement on that is a must if they're to survive this time around.
Getty ImagesKey stats & injury news
- Inter have no major injury concerns, while Matteo Pessina will be out of action for Monza for at least four months after a knee issue.
- Monza scored 2+ goals in six of their last eight competitive away games.
- Lautaro Martinez has failed to score in his last two H2H appearances, but had five strikes in four games prior against Monza.
Getty ImagesTeam news & squads
Inter vs Monza Probable lineups
Starting XI
Manager
- C. Chivu
- I. Juric
Inter head into the opener without Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who is suspended. Cristian Chivu has no probable lineup confirmed at this stage, and no injury absences have been listed. Further squad updates will be added closer to kick-off.
Monza have no suspensions or injuries listed in the available data. Ivan Juric has a clean bill of health to work with ahead of his side's return to Serie A, though a confirmed lineup has not yet been released.
Form
Inter's last five results span both pre-season and the final weeks of the previous campaign. They record three wins, one draw, and one draw across that run, scoring nine goals and conceding seven. Their most recent outing was a 2-1 pre-season win over Juventus, and they also drew 1-1 with AC Milan before beating Manchester City. Their last competitive result was a 3-3 draw with Bologna in Serie A in May.
Monza's last five matches tell a more mixed story. They have two wins, two draws, and one loss, scoring ten goals and conceding ten. Their most recent fixture ended 3-3 against Calcio Padova in a friendly, and they recorded their best result of pre-season with a 4-2 win over Milan Futuro. Their last competitive outing was a 2-0 defeat to Catanzaro in Serie B back in May.
Head-to-Head Record
Head to Head
The most recent meeting between these two sides came in a pre-season friendly in August 2025, when the match ended 2-2 with Monza as the nominal home team. Before that, Inter beat Monza 3-2 in a Serie A fixture at the Giuseppe Meazza in March 2025. Across the last five meetings in all competitions, Inter have won twice, Monza have won none, and two matches have ended level, with the sides also sharing a 1-1 draw in Serie A in September 2024.