Napoli face champions Inter, Scudetto winners in Chivu's first season

Inter arrive as Italy's reigning champions, having won a 21st Scudetto (the league title) sealed on 3 May with a 2-0 win over Parma, goals from Thuram and Mkhitaryan.

Chivu, the title on debut

Cristian Chivu won the Scudetto in his first season as Inter head coach, having moved from the club's youth ranks to a survival campaign in charge of Parma. In the match that decided the title, his side struggled in the first half against a well-organised Parma, breaking through only in first-half stoppage time through Thuram. In the second half Inter took total control, closing out the game through Mkhitaryan in the 80th minute. A team that knows how to manage difficult moments before taking over.

The Inter threats

Up front, the Thuram-Mkhitaryan pairing carries real weight, capable of deciding a title-winning game with a goal each. In midfield, Barella was also a threat on the night of the title, hitting the crossbar in the first half — he is the main man for runs through the centre. On the left, Dimarco remains a constant supplier, as shown by the move that sent substitute Frattesi through for a close-range shot saved by Suzuki. Players used to making an impact even once the game is under control.

The clue worth noting is that very start against Parma: in the first half, Inter created little in build-up play and only broke through right before half-time. If Napoli can stay compact and avoid conceding space in the opening minutes, the game stays open for longer than Inter's recent results suggest.

Napoli arrive at the Giuseppe Meazza with 3 points from two matchdays, built on a win in Genoa and a home defeat to Como. Against the reigning Italian champions, the early-season standings are not what matters: we want to see a team that doesn't surrender the game in the opening minutes, something that has been missing from every side that has faced Inter so far this season. That is what will define our night in Milan.