Inter are forced to completely revamp their attack with Eder, Rodrigo Palacio and Joao Mario as they host Empoli.
It kicks off at 14.00 GMT, follow the build-up and action from all today’s seven Serie A games and give your views on the Liveblog.
Inter are forced to completely revamp their attack with Eder, Rodrigo Palacio and Joao Mario as they host Empoli.
It kicks off at 14.00 GMT, follow the build-up and action from all today’s seven Serie A games and give your views on the Liveblog.
The fallout from the 1-0 Derby d’Italia defeat to Juventus last week is still making itself felt, not just in the controversy over refereeing decisions, but also the bans for Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic.
The Croatian winger’s suspension was halved to one match, but he still misses today’s fixture.
It’s a huge blow, as Icardi and Perisic have alone scored 22 of Inter’s total 37 Serie A goals this season.
Ever Banega and Marcelo Brozovic are also injured, so Palacio and Eder step into the attack with Joao Mario as the trequartista.
Despite the shortage of options, Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa will have to wait for his debut Serie A start.
Stefano Pioli’s men were on a nine-game winning streak, but have now lost two on the bounce, going out of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals with a 2-1 home defeat to Lazio.
Empoli also have some issues to deal with, as defender Giuseppe Bellusci is suspended with Manuel Pasqual, Andrea Costa and top scorer Levan Mchedlidze injured.
Veteran Massimo Maccarone leads the line with Manuel Pucciarelli following last week’s 1-1 draw with Torino.
Ex-Napoli trequartista Omar El Kaddouri has replaced Riccardo Saponara following the transfer to Fiorentina.
It’s a special game for 19-year-old Federico Dimarco, who is on loan from Inter and grew up in their youth academy.
The Tuscans have visited San Siro 16 times in all competition, emerging with a single victory in 2003-04 and 15 defeats.
Inter: Handanovic; Murillo, Medel, Miranda; Candreva, Gagliardini, Kondogbia, D’Ambrosio; Joao Mario; Eder, Palacio
Inter bench: Carrizo, Biabiany, Ansaldi, Sainsbury, Santon, Nagatomo, Gabriel Barbosa, Pinamonti
Empoli: Skorupski; Veseli, Laurini, Cosic, Dimarco; Krunic, Diousse, Croce; El Kaddouri; Pucciarelli, Maccarone
Empoli bench: Pugliesi, Pelagotti; Zambelli, Mauri, Zajc, Barba, Thiam, Picchi, Buchel, Tello, Marilungo