Inter have stuttered since the lockdown and need a confident performance against Sandro Tonali’s bottom of the table Brescia, but rest Romelu Lukaku and Christian Eriksen.
It kicks off at San Siro at 18.30 UK time (17.30 GMT).
Inter have stuttered since the lockdown and need a confident performance against Sandro Tonali’s bottom of the table Brescia, but rest Romelu Lukaku and Christian Eriksen.
It kicks off at San Siro at 18.30 UK time (17.30 GMT).
Antonio Conte is back on the bench, having suffered in the stands throughout his team’s comeback win at Parma.
That result kept them in third place, but the performances have been shaky in the absence of Stefano Sensi, Matias Vecino and Marcelo Brozovic.
The Croatian is at least on the bench this time, but Borja Valero steps into midfield, while Danilo D’Ambrosio and not Diego Godin replaces suspended Milan Skriniar.
Considering the intensity of the fixture list, Conte is resting Romelu Lukaku and Christian Eriksen, so Lautaro Martinez is partnered by Alexis Sanchez, while the team returns to a 3-5-2 formation.
This isn’t entirely new, as the pair started together when Lukaku was injured in the 2-1 Champions League defeat away to Barcelona on October 2, 2019, plus the two Europa League wins over Ludogorets.
The only Serie A game they had together from kick-off was Sampdoria 1-3 Inter on September 28, which is also when the Chilean scored his only goal.
Brescia are rock bottom and seemingly doomed to the drop, but they’re not going quietly, having held Fiorentina and Genoa to draws since returning from the lockdown.
Mario Balotelli and Romulo have been excluded amid contract disputes, while Dimitri Bisoli, Andrea Cistana and Jhon Chancellor are injured.
Sandro Tonali is widely expected to be at Inter next season and he is the focal point of the Rondinelle midfield, with Alfredo Donnarumma finding the net in each of his last two games.
Inter are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with newly-promoted sides, winning eight and drawing the most recent with Lecce in January.
Inter: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, De Vrij, Bastoni; Moses, Barella, Borja Valero, Gagliardini, Young; Lautaro Martinez, Alexis Sanchez
Inter bench: Padelli, Godin, R Lukaku, Ranocchia, Asamoah, Eriksen, Esposito, Pirola, Agoume, Biraghi, Brozovic, Candreva
Brescia: Joronen; Sabelli, Papetti, Mateju, Semprini; Skrabb, Tonali, Dessena; Zmrhal; Aye, A Donnarumma
Brescia bench: Andrenacci, Gastaldello, Spalek, Torregrossa, Ghezzi, Mangraviti, Viviani, Martella, Bjarnason
Ref: Manganiello