Inter on the verge of Serie A title triumph as AC Milan faces Juventus

Cristian Chivu’s side currently lead both defending champions Napoli and second-placed Milan by 12 points with just five matches left in the league.

Their chances of securing a 21st league title this weekend will be clearer by Friday night, when Napoli takes on relegation-threatened Cremonese.

Should Napoli fail to win, Inter will head to Turin knowing that a victory over Torino could hand them the Scudetto with four matches to spare.

However, they will need to wait on the outcome of Milan’s marquee encounter with Juventus at San Siro, which is also crucial for both teams’ ambitions of Champions League qualification.

Winning the league with four matches remaining would be an impressive achievement, especially considering Inter’s shaky form before the recent international break, when both Napoli and Milan appeared poised to overtake them.

However, after scoring a maximum of nine points and netting 12 goals in the three matches since the resumption of club football, the momentum has now shifted back in Inter’s favour, and it seems only a matter of time before the title conversation is put to rest.

Inter head into this match with the domestic double in sight, following a thrilling victory over Como that secured their place in next month’s Coppa Italia final against Lazio.

No matter how Napoli and Milan fare, Inter are aware that four points from their remaining matches will seal the title.

Milan find themselves in a precarious position, potentially able to hand their local rivals the title, although that would hardly be worse than two years ago when they allowed Inter to lift the trophy by losing the Milan derby.

However, Massimiliano Allegri’s squad is close to securing a Champions League return, holding an eight-point advantage over fifth-placed Como.

Milan are likely to finish in the top four even if they lose on Sunday, while Juventus’ situation is more uncertain; they sit in fourth place, just five points clear of both Como and sixth-placed Roma.

Como, who squandered a two-goal lead before being eliminated from the cup by Inter, have a challenging fixture this weekend as they travel to face an inform Genoa side, who could secure safety with a victory.

French midfielder Adrien Rabiot will be up against his former team on Sunday, and he is expected to play a pivotal role in Milan’s efforts against Juventus, alongside Luka Modric.

Rabiot has fully justified Allegri’s faith, contributing six goals and four assists in 25 league appearances, with his latest goal against Verona last weekend showcasing his dynamic running and clinical finishing.

The 31-year-old joined Milan largely due to Allegri’s insistence after being released by Marseille in August following a heated altercation with teammate Jonathan Rowe.

Rabiot was a central figure in Juventus’ last Serie A triumph in 2020 and continued to play for the Turin giants for four more seasons before his transfer to Marseille.