Napoli vs Inter Milan
Time: 3:00 PM EST
Odds: Napoli +160, Draw +240, Inter Milan +145
Last Game: Inter 0 : 1 Napoli
Watch: ESPN +
The second semi-final match of the weekend sees two of the top sides in Italy square off when Inter Milan travel to Napoli. Hosts Napoli were one of the hottest teams in Serie A before the break, taking 15 of a possible 18 points in their last 6 matches. This strong run of form has propelled Napoli to 6th place and the final European spot. A trip to the Coppa Italia final would help Napoli salvage whats been a disappointing domestic campaign. Hirving Lozano and Kevin Malcuit will sit this one out with injury.
Visitors Inter Milan entered the break in play under much different conditions than Napoli. Inter dropped their last two games to fellow title contenders Lazio and Juventus, and are now on the outside of the title race looking in. Dropping consecutive games to the other top sides saw them slide from 1st to 3rd in two short weeks, and having been bounced from the Champions League in the group stage, Inter will be motivated to advance to the final in a bid to salvage their season. Diego Godín and Matías Vecino will both sit this one out due to injury.
Napoli come into this game in the driver seat after a crucial away goal in the reverse fixture. Napoli can advance on a draw and will likely try to play the buttoned up defensive style that has helped them advance this far. Napoli have yet to allow a goal this year in the Coppa Italia, a stark contrast to their markedly average defense in Serie A. Expect what offense they do produce to come from Insigne, who’s scored 3 of the teams 4 goals in the competition thus far. Inter certainly look to have their work cut out for them in this one as they will need to score 2 or more goals and win in order to advance automatically (a 1-0 Inter win would send the game to penalties per the new rules for this year). Inter’s front three of Martinez, Lukaku and Eriksen definitely have the firepower to score in bunches, and Inter will hope the time away has allowed the team to regroup and stop the bleeding. Inter took the last match at the San Paolo 3-1 and will be looking for a similar performance here.