Inter Milan look to continue their relentless march towards the Scudetto this Friday night as they welcome Cagliari to the iconic San Siro. The Nerazzurri, sitting comfortably atop Serie A with a nine-point lead, are in devastating attacking form this April and will be eager to put on another show for the home fans.
While the league leaders are heavy favourites, manager Cristian Chivu faces significant selection challenges. Captain and talisman Lautaro Martínez is sidelined with a thigh strain, leaving a major void in attack. The defensive line is also stretched, with Yann Bisseck injured and Alessandro Bastoni rested, potentially opening the door for a start for veteran Stefan de Vrij. Midfielder Petar Sučić is suspended, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan could return to the starting lineup as Chivu rotates his squad.
For visiting Cagliari, the mission is one of survival. Positioned precariously in 16th, manager Fabio Pisacane must navigate his own injury crisis. Key midfielder Luca Mazzitelli is out with a calf injury, joining long-term absentees Mattia Felici and Riyad Idrissi. Striker Leonardo Pavoletti is also a major doubt with knee trouble.
The visitors' main hope may rest with on-loan striker Sebastiano Esposito, who is in red-hot form with three goals in his last five games and will be desperate to impress against his parent club. Cagliari will likely deploy a deep, compact block, relying on the defensive strength of Yerry Mina and the creativity of Gianluca Gaetano to spring a historic upset.
Despite the rotated lineup, Inter's confidence and firepower make them formidable. They enter this clash on the back of thrilling, high-scoring victories, demonstrating the resilience and killer instinct of true champions. All eyes will be on San Siro to see if the leaders can maintain their momentum or if Cagliari can pull off a great escape.
