After a good start to the 2015/2016 Serie A season that had their fans dreaming of a Scudetto in May, Inter have stumbled somewhat, with a disappointing loss and draw in their last two league games. The Nerazzurri will be keen on getting back on track as they welcome Serie A debutants Carpi to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in a must-win match for Roberto Mancini's men. Meanwhile, Carpi will be keen on pulling off a major upset as they aspire to lift themselves out of the relegation zone and make survival in the top flight a reality more than just a dream.
Inter
After a loss to Sassuolo and draw with Atalanta, Inter rebounded in style by defeating Napoli 2-0 in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. The game was marred by controversy as Mancini was involved in a spat with opposing tactician Maurizio Sarri, in which the latter reportedly insulted the ex-Manchester City coach with homophobic slurs. An apology was eventually issued by Sarri, which was accepted by Mancini and now Inter turn their attention to beating Carpi and keeping Juventus and the Partenopei - who presently lead the league - within touching distance.
In their past four games, Inter have only picked up four points. They were defeated by Lazio in their final game of 2015 and by Sassuolo in their first home match of 2016. This means that they could be in danger of a third straight home loss for the first time since April 2013 if they do not get things right against the Biancorossi on Sunday. Additionally, the Nerazzurri have not scored in league play since defeating Empoli earlier this month - as their goal against Atalanta was actually an own goal on the part of La Dea - and their attackers, in particular Mauro Icardi who could net his 50th Serie A goal tomorrow will be keen on amending that against a team playing top-flight football for the first time.
Despite their mid-season hiccups, Inter still do boast the strongest defense in the league, with just 13 goals conceded. A big part of this success has been the excellent form of goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, who has racked up an impressive 12 clean sheets out of the 20 games played so far. In his past 10 games, the Slovenian international has only conceded six goals (and one was that own goal against Atalanta) and put in a brilliant performance to deny Napoli time and time again in the tense Coppa Italia quarter-final earlier this week.
Fans will be expecting to see Inter clinch all three points in this fixture; the first meeting between the Nerazzurri and Carpi was decided by a late Stevan Jovetic penalty. Fortunately for Mancini, he has a full-strength squad to choose from and despite their opponents sitting in 18th place, he will likely field his strongest XI in order to guarantee a positive result this Sunday.
Carpi
Meanwhile, debutants Carpi have had a pretty successful 2016 by their standards. Save for a 2-1 defeat to AC Milan in the Coppa Italia - in which they put up a good fight - the Biancorossi have earned seven points from their past two games. Considering that they only have a total of 17, this is indeed quite impressive, with a draw against Lazio being followed by two hard fought wins over Udinese and Sampdoria.
Carpi gave Inter quite a battle during the two sides' first meeting earlier this season and it took a late spot-kick to ultimately decide the match. Unfortunately for coach Fabrizio Castori, he will have to contend with a slew of injuries and suspensions, limiting his selection choices. Both Isaac Cofie and Riccardo Gagliolo are banned for this fixture, and Ryder Matos as well as Igor Bubnjic are still out as they have not recovered yet from their own injury issues, making their task even more difficult.
The visitors currently sit four points from 17th-placed Palermo, who occupy the last non-relegation zone berth and will be doing their utmost best to frustrate Inter as they hope to leave the Giuseppe Meazza with at least one point in hand.
Which channel is broadcasting Inter vs Carpi on TV or Online?
After starting the first half of this season so well, Inter will be keen on getting back on track to prevent Juventus and Napoli from pulling further away in the Scudetto race. If you happen to be in Italy's fashion capital, you may be heading to the Giuseppe Meazza to watch the Nerazzurri take on Carpi. However, if you live elsewhere in Italy or in another country entirely, no worries. LiveSoccerTV.com has you covered with choices to view the match via TV, computer, tablet, or phone.
Here are some options for those residing in the following locations:
- In the USA at 9.00 EST on: beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A.
- In Italy at 15.00 CET on: Sky Calcio 1, Premium Calcio 1, SKY Go Italia
- In the UK at 14.00 GMT on: BT Sport Extra
Live outside one of these three countries? Check our our special Inter vs Carpi broadcast page for viewing times and options for wherever you are currently based.
*Note: Live broadcast data is subject to change*
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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