Serie A Preview: Juventus-Inter Play for Honour

Honour.

That’s what’s at stake this Sunday. Never before have so many emotions been involved at a Derby d’Italia.

Juventus is back from Serie B, and, for the first time, Juventinis all over have understood the value every Romanista and every Laziale puts on winning Derby della Capitale.

For the first time, winning a single game is more important than bringing home the Scudetto. As far as they’re concerned, Inter was the mastermind behind last summer’s Calciopoli scandal and the rivalry between the clubs is fiercer than ever.

Juventus

Juventus’ start to the season has exceeded every expectation put on the club. The mid-week encounter with Empoli showed Peninsula’s Capocannoniere in fine form. The Bianconeri are ready to take on the reigning champions of Italy, and state that though respect is present, fear is not.

In 2005-06 Juventus won both games against Inter—can the feat be repeated by Ranieri’s men this season?

Pavel Nedved, Giorgio Chiellini and Antonio Nocerino return from bans, while defenders Jean-Alain Boumsong and Jorge Andrade remain sidelined. Ranieri is expected to start with the attacking trio of Alessandro Del Piero behind Trezeguet and Vincenzo Iaquinta.

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Grygera, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro; Nocerino, Zanetti, Nedved; Del Piero, Iaquinta, Trezeguet

Inter

Since all actual threats were eliminated by point deduction and/or relegation last season, Inter have been riding on a wave of success and it seems they have maintained that form for this season.

Mancini rested striker Ibrahimovic against Genoa to avoid suspension on his most talismanic player. This is the first time the Swede will come up against his former club, and can expect a very cold welcome. Given the fact that he left the club during its most turbulent time—to a rival club—has lead the Juventini faithful to label him a traitor.

On the bright side for Inter, goalkeeper Julio Cruz is back from injury while Marco Materazzi, Patrick Vieira, Francesco Toldo, Dejan Stankovic and Luis Jimenez are all injured.

Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Dacourt, Cambiasso, Figo; Ibrahimovic, Crespo

Inter are going into this game as favourites and have everything to lose—lose against newcomers Juventus and they will never be allowed to forget it. In the case of a win? Well, they have a wider squad and are, not to mention, reigning champions.

Juventus on the other hand are going in as underdogs and have everything to gain by winning this game.

The winning mentality is branded into the minds of the Juve players. A single player can never be bigger than the club.

Can the same be said for Inter? Egos rule Inter and always have: the players need their space; the player is bigger than the club.

The roles of champions may be distorted at the moment, but it’s only a matter of time before order is restored. Inter always have been—and always will be—little brothers in Italy.