Inter have Diego Forlan back in the starting XI with Giampaolo Pazzini against Serse Cosmi’s third-choice Lecce goalkeeper.
Inter have Diego Forlan back in the starting XI with Giampaolo Pazzini against Serse Cosmi’s third-choice Lecce goalkeeper.
The Nerazzurri are ending 2011 on a strong run of results with three consecutive victories behind them, though Wesley Sneijder Cristian Chivu, Jonathan and Emiliano Viviano are still out of action.
Forlan has made a substitute appearance since suffering a nasty muscular injury, but gets his first start and is partnered by Pazzini with support from Ricky Alvarez.
Lecce are in crisis, as the arrival of Cosmi on the bench has shaken up the team in terms of performance, though not results.
Since he took over, they were beaten 3-2 by Lazio and fumbled a 3-1 lead to draw at Parma.
Moris Carrozzieri is suspended, while Edward Ofere, Manuel Giandonato, Andrea Bertolacci, Djamel Mesbah and Andrea Esposito are injured.
More importantly, both first choice goalkeepers Julio Sergio and Francesco Benassi are unavailable, so third-choice Ugo Gabrieli is given his first Serie A start.
Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Nagatomo; Faraoni, Zanetti, Motta, Alvarez; Forlan, Pazzini
Lecce: Gabrieli; Oddo, Tomovic, Ferrario; Cuadrado, Giacomazzi, Obodo, Olivera, Brivio; Muriel, Di Michele