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| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
INTER  Cesar Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Chivu Zanetti, Stankovic, Palombo, Obi Milito, Pazzini | ATALANTA  Consigli Bellini, Ferri, Manfredini, Peluso Schelotto, Carmona, Cigarini, Moralez Marilungo, Denis |
Claudio Ranieri is likely to make a number of alterations from the side who were knocked out of the Champions League midweek, starting in defence as Cristian Chivu is set to take the place of Yuto Nagatomo at left-back.
The Nerazzurri are also likely to freshen up their midfield with Angelo Palombo and Joel Obi coming in for Andrea Poli and Wesley Sneijder respectively, with the Dutchman ruled out with a groin strain.
Giampaolo Pazzini is to be rewarded for his late goal against L'OM by replacing Diego Forlan from the offset. However, midfielders Fredy Guarin and Ricardo Alvarez are both ruled out of the game through injury.
In stark contrast, Atalanta are expected to make only the one change from the 1-1 draw with Parma last weekend with Italy Under-21 striker Manolo Gabbiadini, likely to make way for Guido Marilungo.
Additionally, Stefano Lucchini, Guglielmo Stendardo and Simone Tiribocchi all face late fitness tests ahead of the fixture, but Cristian Raimondi is fit again and will almost certainly take his place on the bench.
Sadly for Matteo Brighi, his loan spell from Roma continues to go from bad to worse after it emerged he will miss the next six weeks through a recurring leg injury.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Inter have scored in each of their last 27 matches against Atalanta in Serie A.
- The Nerazzurri have beaten the Orobici on the last six occasions at home.
- Claudio Ranieri's men saw their winless streak of seven games come to an end against Chievo last week, while they also kept a first clean sheet in eight.
- However, Inter are still without a win in four at the Giuseppe Meazza.
- Atalanta are unbeaten in their last six games, conceding just twice, but have drawn four of these.
- Away from home, Stefano Colantuono's side have won just one of their last nine games.
- The Bergamaschi have lost more games against Inter than against any other Serie A rival.
- Atalanta have won just one of their last 13 top flight tussles with the Nerazzurri.
Inter's defence may find it difficult to cope with the fluidity of Atalanta's attacking options at times, but nevertheless the side are showing encouraging signs of improvement. With Milito back among the goals and Ranieri more than happily returning to his tried-and-tested 4-4-2 system without trying to accommodate the supreme, yet troublesome, talents of Sneijder, a scrappy win should be in order for the hosts.
Editor's Prediction
Inter 2-1 Atalanta 
