Inter Milan continues to impress in Serie A (SA), having secured a 1-0 victory against Empoli on Sunday. This achievement marked only the fourth time in the club’s history that they have won the first five matches of a SA campaign. Head coach Simone Inzaghi acknowledged the significance of the achievement, stating that “records are nice.” However, he was particularly pleased with the team’s patience in a match where they failed to score at least two goals for the first time this season in SA.
The upcoming midweek clash with mid-table Sassuolo could present a challenge for Inter Milan, as the visitors have managed to keep the SA head-to-head encounters competitive over the years (Inter Milan: W10, D2, L8). Nonetheless, Inter has secured five of the last six league head-to-head victories (with one loss), indicating that they might have found a winning formula. They are aiming to start a top-flight season with four consecutive home wins for the first time since 2017/18.
In that particular campaign, Sassuolo accomplished a league double over Inter, including a memorable 2-1 victory at San Siro. Alessio Dionisi’s squad may draw inspiration from those past successes. Sassuolo is coming off a remarkable 4-2 triumph over Juventus in their recent fixture, a match that garnered attention due to the comical own goal scored by Federico Gatti. However, Dionisi attributes their success to their courage, securing their second win in three games (with one loss).
Both teams could potentially see quick starts once again, as Sassuolo’s last four games have witnessed the opening goal arriving within the first 20 minutes. In their previous away fixture, Sassuolo took a 2-0 lead after 24 minutes, only to lose 4-2 to Frosinone, putting them at risk of starting a SA season with three consecutive away defeats for the first time since 2019/20.
Key players to watch include Inter’s Lautaro Martínez, who has recently excelled at San Siro, with six of his last seven SA goals coming on their home turf. Additionally, he has netted five goals in his last eight head-to-head encounters. For Sassuolo, Domenico Berardi remains a talisman, having scored three goals in as many games and contributing in each of his last three head-to-head meetings with one goal and two assists.
A notable statistic is that after five matchdays, Sassuolo’s matches have witnessed a league-high average of 12.20 corners per game. This underlines the team’s tendency to create scoring opportunities from set pieces, which could be a key factor to watch in their matchup against Inter Milan. As both teams prepare to face off, the stage is set for an exciting and competitive SA clash.