Palermo vs. Inter Milan: Key Issues That Will Shape Serie A Game
An intriguing battle lies ahead in Week 3 of the Serie A season as Inter Milan take on Palermo at Stadio Renzo Barbera on Sunday.
The Nerazzurri will be looking to use their 7-0 thrashing of Sassuolo last week as a momentum-starter as they look to reclaim their place as giants of Italian football.
Palermo, meanwhile, look to be on shaky ground after collecting just one point from their opening two games.
Here are five key issues that will shape the game.
Whether Inter Suffer a Post-Europe Hangover
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The Milan giants will be backing up in Serie A just three days after their victory over FC Dnipro in Kiev, Ukraine.
Coach Walter Mazzarri must decide to what extent fatigue could affect his players and whether to make a number of changes to the starting lineup.
There will no doubt be a few alterations made, as the likes of Danilo D'Ambrosio, Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Hugo Campagnaro were brought into the side for the Europa League encounter having not participated in the 7-0 romp against Sassuolo.
Certain players have taken part in most of Inter's early-season matches, but whether Dodo, Juan Jesus and Mauro Icardi can back up again and keep their energy levels high remains to be seen.
Palermo's Shaky Defence
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A draw against Sampdoria in Week 1 was not a bad result for newly promoted Palermo, but last week's loss to Hellas Verona will have fans worried that the side is going to struggle in Serie A this term.
The defence in particular will be tested on Sunday against an Inter side which banged home seven goals against Sassuolo last weekend.
Against the Gialloblu, Palermo defender Sinisa Andelkovic gave away a penalty by hauling down Luca Toni, but even more worrying was the way the second goal was conceded.
A mix-up between wing-back Eros Pisano and goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino saw the ball bounce into an empty net. Any such mistakes against Inter are likely to be harshly punished.
Mauro Icardi's Hot Form
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Argentine target man Mauro Icardi did not see much of the football against Dnipro in the midweek match, but he showed against Sassuolo that he is a forward brimming with confidence.
The youngster hit a hat-trick of real class against the Serie A minnows. His second and third goals in particular were taken with a great deal of skill—one from outside the area and the other from an extremely tight angle.
If his teammates can give him adequate supply—and assuming Mazzarri elects not to rest him—Icardi will likely prove a handful for the Palermo defence.
Palermo's Finishing
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Forwards Paulo Dybala and Franco Vazquez must be more clinical if Palermo are to stand a chance of getting through an imposing Inter defence.
Both were wasteful against Hellas Verona, and chances are likely to be harder to come by against Nemanja Vidic and company.
Dybala scored in the opening game against Sampdoria and Vazquez did manage to find the net early on in the Verona match, but they will have to ensure they make the most of their opportunities when Inter come to town.
Which Playmaker Mazzarri Opts For
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Mazzarri has tried out a number of attacking midfielders in 2014-15, while he seemingly attempts to decide who his preferred options are.
Brazilian Hernanes has been a regular fixture but has only shown glimpses of creativity, so his spot in the starting side is surely under threat.
Kuzmanovic played a solid game against Dnipro without setting the world on fire, while Mateo Kovacic was brilliant against Sassuolo.
Rene Krhin is another option who has been used more sparingly thus far.
The combination the coach eventually decides on could determine just how piercing Inter are in the attacking third.
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