Cristian Chivu is relishing a reunion with "role model" Luciano Spalletti as Serie A leaders Inter welcome Juventus to Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday.

Chivu made 80 appearances in all competitions under Spalletti during their time together at Roma between 2005 and 2007, and they have remained close ever since. 

Now, they will face off for the first time in their respective managerial careers, with both hoping to improve their respective chances of glory in the league this season. 

Inter are top of Serie A by eight points over AC Milan, though their rivals do have a game in hand, while Spalletti's Juventus occupy the final Champions League spot. 

Indeed, the clash between Inter and Juventus sees the two best attacks in Serie A in 2025-26 face each other (57 and 41 goals respectively), and Chivu is looking forward to reuniting with his former boss this weekend. 

"He has improved a lot. He was already very good and has further developed," Chivu told reporters. "His teams play well, with a clear identity and ideas.

"He's an excellent coach, he has a lot to give to football, and he must be set up as a role model. When I didn't have a club, we watched many games together."

It will provide another stern test of Inter's Scudetto credentials, with the Nerazzurri predicted to win the title in 87% of the Opta supercomputer's data-led season simulations.

But while Inter have brushed away sides lower in the table, as displayed in their 5-0 rout of Sassuolo last time out, the teams at the top have been more difficult to conquer.

In direct encounters between the current top four teams in Serie A this term, Inter have collected the fewest points (one), while Juventus, Napoli and Milan have all gained seven.

"We always go on the pitch to win, aware that there's still a long way to go; 14 games are remaining," Chivu added.

"Right now, the result of a game doesn't make a big difference, except for the mental aspect, and I still believe the season is still long."

Juventus, meanwhile, have gone back-to-back games without a win in all competitions, with their quarter-final exit from the Coppa Italia followed up by a 2-2 draw with Lazio. 

Pierre Kalulu popped up with a 96th-minute equaliser at Allianz Stadium to seal a share of the spoils with Lazio, though Juventus fans were unhappy with the performance. 

That has seen some supporters question Spalletti's position at the club, though club captain Manuel Locatelli was quick to defend his boss ahead of facing Inter. 

"I listen to the club and the coach. I'm in shape, the coach has trusted me, and it's been important," Locatelli said, as quoted by Football Italia. 

"We are playing better, and I'm happy with what we are trying to do. We can always improve. The coach keeps telling us we have room for improvement.

"It all starts with training. We are a young team, and we lack a bit of maturity, but we are aware of our quality."

Juventus have improved under Spalletti, rising to fourth in the table after the 66-year-old replaced Igor Tudor in October following an eight-game winless run in all competitions.

There is an option in Spalletti's contract that, if triggered, would extend his stay with the Serie A giants, and Locatelli was asked about the current manager's future. 

"It's not up to me to decide that [whether he stays]. I can only say we are very happy with him and the way he works with us," Locatelli added. 

"He doesn't like being talked about. He even told me earlier that I shouldn't talk about him. I can say that we are very happy with him."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Inter – Federico Dimarco

Federico Dimarco has provided 11 assists in Serie A this season. Since 2004-05, only Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu (both 12 in 2021-22) have provided more for Inter in a single top-flight campaign than Dimarco.

Indeed, since 2004-05, only Fabrizio Miccoli (2011-12), Ronaldinho (2009-10) and Andrea Cossu (2010-11) – all 12 – have delivered more assists in the Italian top flight than Dimarco in the first 25 matchdays of a season.

Juventus – Kenan Yildiz

Having netted eight times this season, Kenan Yildiz could become the first Juventus player to score nine or more goals in a Serie A season before turning 21 years old since Roberto Bettega, who netted 13 in 1970-71.

He has also scored three goals in the competition against Inter. Only Giuseppe Virgili (five goals for Fiorentina between 1955 and 1956), Guglielmo Trevisan (four for Triestina between 1937 and 1938) and Vinicio Viani (four for Fiorentina between 1933 and 1934) have scored more Serie A goals against the Nerazzurri before turning 21 years old.

MATCH PREDICTION: INTER TO WIN

Despite being favoured by the pre-match simulations, Inter have won just one of their last seven Serie A matches against Juventus (D2 L4) and have lost the two most recent encounters. 

However, the last nine league matches between Inter and Juventus at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza have been perfectly balanced, with each side recording three wins and three draws.

It is only the fourth time in the three-points-for-a-win era that Inter have faced Juventus in Serie A with at least a 12-point lead in the table – Juventus have won two of the previous three encounters (2-1 on 22nd March 2008 and 3-2 on 15th May 2021), with Inter winning the other (2-0 on 16th April 2010).

Juventus have, however, won four of their last five league away games (L1), as many victories on the road as they had recorded in their previous 14 away league games (D5 L5).

And you can expect goals between these two teams. The last three Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced 16 goals (an average of 5.3 per game), compared to just nine goals in the previous six meetings (an average of 1.5 per game).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Inter – 48.5%

Draw – 25.6%

Juventus – 25.8%