Internazionale vs Partizan Preview

October 24, 2012 By Gregory Sica

Topics: Inter Milan, Partizan, Europa League

In-form Inter will be looking for their fifth straight victory against what are expected to be highly-vulnerable Serbian opposition.

Inter Milan should encounter no problems whatsoever when they welcome Partizan Belgrade to the San Siro for what could well be a one-sided Europa League Group H fixture on Thursday.

After a slow start to the season, the Nerazzuri have gradually picked up their game, and recent results suggest that they are expected to cruise to an easy victory over the struggling Serbians.

The Nerazzurri currently lead Group H with four points from two games, which came from a 2-2 draw with Rubin Kazan and a 3-1 victory over Neftchi Baku. Even if Inter find themselves in an extremely easy group, they have shown their depth with a series of five successive victories in all competitions, including a hard-fought 1-0 win over city rivals AC Milan in the Italian Serie A.

Andrea Stramaccioni, the coach of Inter, is likely to make a number of changes to his regular starting eleven for the clash. The likes of Jonathan, Coutinho, Rodrigo Palacio and 19-year-old Croatian striker Marko Livaja are expected to get rare starts. But Stramaccioni has announced that his team will still include several key players, as his side look to assure themselves of progression to the Round of 16 stage of the competition.

While most of Inter's key players are available for selection, one player who has been completely ruled out is injured Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder. With his absence, Inter will look to Coutinho to provide the attackers with adequate service.

Rivals Partizan come into the encounter as the clear underdogs, but this tag could play in their favour, as they have nothing to lose, meaning all of the pressure will be on the hosts. The Serbs understand that beating Inter may be well beyond them, and for this reason they would be more than happy to return home with a point, in fact this would be a magnificent achievement for them.

Partizan, who have yet to score a goal in the Europa League this season, find themselves rock-bottom of Group H with just a single point from their goalless home draw with Neftchi Baku in September, and could practically be out of contention for a place in the following phase if they lose their match and Rubin Kazan manage to overcome Neftchi Baku also on Thursday.

This may be one of Partizan's last chances, so there's no question that they will fight right until the death at the San Siro. What could perhaps inspire them is the fact that they have won seven successive league games to put them on top of the Serbian league.