Inter set for Cagliari visit as title glory looms
Inter Milan will go in search of the first of successive wins it needs to wrap up the Serie A title when it meets Cagliari on Sunday (AEST).
Cagliari is the visitor to San Siro and victory will mean Simone Inzaghi’s team can wrap up its first Scudetto in three years with a three-point return against city rival AC Milan in the Milan derby on 23 April (AEST).
Inter maintained its 14-point advantage over second-placed Milan when Davide Frattesi’s late winner completed a come-from-behind victory at Udinese side, which has won just once at home all season.
Inzaghi had an eye on the remaining seven fixtures after that match when he said: “We’re playing clubs fighting against relegation or for the top spots. We can’t let our concentration slip.”
The Nerazzurri have won 12 and drawn one of their 13 matches since the turn of the year and have been beaten only once in the competition since the start of the season – a shock home loss to struggling Sassuolo in September the only blemish in an impressive campaign.
However, the leaders, who have scored in every match, will be without top goalscorer Lautaro Martinez against Cagliari because of suspension.
The Sardinian side's knack of picking up points from losing positions has aided its bid for survival.
Ten points from its past five matches have lifted Cagliari four points clear of the relegation zone as it bids to avoid an immediate return to the second tier of Italian football.
The last time it won this contest was in 2016 as two goals in the final 19 minutes turned the contest on its head against an Inter side that finished fourth, a distant 24 points behind champion that season, Juventus.
However, Claudio Ranieri’s team is not at its best away from home in the current campaign.
It has picked up just seven points from its 15 games and netted a league-low nine goals on its travels.
