Inter need to get back on track after their European exit and give Christian Eriksen a rare start, while Cagliari have Giovanni Simeone and Nahitan Nandez back on the bench from COVID.
It kicks off at the Sardegna Arena at 11.30 GMT.
Inter need to get back on track after their European exit and give Christian Eriksen a rare start, while Cagliari have Giovanni Simeone and Nahitan Nandez back on the bench from COVID.
It kicks off at the Sardegna Arena at 11.30 GMT.
The situation within the Nerazzurri camp is increasingly tense after they crashed out of the Champions League and also failed to secure a place in the Europa League.
It could eventually be to their advantage that they don’t have any other commitments to worry about when the UEFA tournaments resume in February, but for the moment, confidence is low.
Arturo Vidal and Matias Vecino are still out of action, while Nicolò Barella played through pain against Shakhtar Donetsk, but that doesn’t mean he is allowed a rest here.
Eriksen gets a rare start, having come off the bench only in the final minutes in recent weeks, and not been in the initial XI since October.
Alexis Sanchez also steps in for Lautaro Martinez, but Romelu Lukaku retains his place upfront.
Cagliari are still missing Alessandro Tripaldelli, Diego Godin and Adam Ounas, but Nahitan Nandez, Giovanni Simeone and Gaston Pereiro have all recovered from COVID, but are not ready to start.
Joao Pedro remains their most effective player this season, scoring six Serie A goals in 10 games and providing two assists.
Leonardo Pavoletti, Gabriele Zappa and Riccardo Sottil complete the attack.
Cagliari: Cragno; Faragò, Walukiewicz, Carboni, Lykogiannis; Marin, Rog; Zappa, Joao Pedro, Sottil; Pavoletti
Cagliari bench: Aresti, Vicario, Simeone, Caligara, Pinna, Klavan, Tramoni, Nandez, Pisacane, Oliva, Ceppitelli, Cerri
Inter: Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Brozovic, Perisic; Eriksen; R Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez
Inter bench: Padelli, Radu, Hakimi, Gagliardini, Lautaro Martinez, Kolarov, Sensi, Ranocchia, Young, D’Ambrosio
Ref: Pasqua