Inter Milan battle Lazio at the KSU Stadium on Friday in the second Supercoppa Italiana semi-final.
Simone Inzaghi's side are participating in Riyadh, having claimed last season's Coppa Italia, and they face the capital club, who ended runners-up in the 2022-23 Serie A campaign.
Match preview
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Inzaghi should be in no mood to grant his former side favours when Inter face Lazio for a spot in the Super Cup final against Napoli or Fiorentina in Saudi Arabia.
Last year's winners — the Nerazzurri beat AC Milan 3-0 in the final — are back in the revamped competition featuring four teams for the first time, keen to make the most of their manager's cup-winning expertise.
Inter head into Friday's game fresh from a rampant 5-1 thrashing of Monza in Serie A last weekend, inflicting the Biancorossi's heaviest home defeat in the competition since gaining promotion in 22-23.
Lautaro Martinez is the undoubted man in form, with El Toro hitting a brace to take his tally for the season to 18 league goals, and a further two in the Champions League have the Argentina international on 20 in all competitions.
Inzaghi hopes to count on his star striker against Lazio, with Inter keen to make this year's decider and claim a third win on the trot in all competitions.
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Standing in their way are Lazio, managed by Maurizio Sarri, who has not held back in his vilification of the competition, criticising Italian football for taking Saudi Arabia's money and disregarding players' welfare.
The Biancocelesti boss was displeased with the timing of their lunchtime encounter with Lecce, coming less than four days after a Coppa Italia triumph over Rome rivals Roma.
While Sarri has constantly said his piece about the punishing schedule, Lazio's improved results at the backend of 2023 have continued into 2024, with the capital club claiming their fifth consecutive triumph in all competitions with the 1-0 win over Lecce.
Three clean sheets have been kept in those games, and the possibility of a fourth against Inter should motivate the Biancocelesti in Friday's semi-final encounter.
However, Lazio must outdo the form book in recent clashes between the sides, with Inter winning the last two meetings, including a 2-0 win at the Olimpico in mid-December.
Team News
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Juan Cuadrado's Achilles tendon layoff, which should rule the Colombian out of action until March, is Inter's only injury worry ahead of the meeting with Lazio.
Despite Inzaghi praising Marko Arnautovic and Alexis Sanchez's commitment and continued patience despite limited game time, the Nerazzurri boss should start Marcus Thuram along with the lethal Martinez up top.
Sarri's men are dealing with absences or doubts: Patric went off with a shoulder problem against Lecce, Taty Castellanos is out for about a week, and Mattia Zaccagni is doubtful, having had to play with pain-killing injections in his foot in recent games.
Ciro Immobile has struggled in front of goal this season, finding the back of the net four times in Serie A, but the forward has not scored in all competitions since late November's Champions League brace against Celtic.
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Bisseck, De Vrij, Bastoni; Darmian, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Lazzari, Fuentes, Romagnoli, Pellegrini; Guendouzi, Vecino, Alberto; Pedro, Immobile, Anderson
We say: Inter Milan 2-0 Lazio
Inter not only have superior quality, but the Nerazzurri's know-how in cup ties underscores their tag as favourites, and they would take some stopping in the Supercoppa in Riyadh.
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