After the glory of reaching the Champions League semi-finals, Inter Milan must return to Serie A duty on Sunday, when they require points against Empoli to rescue hopes of a top-four finish.

Setting up a continental clash with city rivals Milan certainly gives the Nerazzurri faithful something to look forward to, but following the reversal of a points deduction for Juventus they will sit sixth in the standings upon arrival at Stadio Carlo Castellani.

Match preview

While they let their dominance slip at the end of a goal-laden quarter-final tie against Benfica, Inter's 3-3 home draw with the Portuguese champions in midweek still sealed aggregate victory and swept them into the Champions League's final four for the first time since last lifting the trophy back in 2010.

As in the first leg, Nicolo Barella struck first at San Siro, before Argentinian forwards Lautaro Martinez and Joaquin Correa sealed the deal during an eventful second half. Inter will now tussle with Milan for a place in the final and also play their Coppa Italia semi against Juventus to a conclusion next week.

However, in Serie A it has been a totally different story for Simone Inzaghi's side, who suffered an 11th league defeat of the season last weekend. Their most recent reverse saw them humbled by Lombardy neighbours Monza, with Inter old-boy Luca Caldirola providing the decisive goal.

In all, the Nerazzurri have not won any of their last five top-flight fixtures - the club's worst such streak since the 2017-2018 campaign - and a tally of five defeats from their last seven leaves them struggling to book a return to Europe.

With old foes Juve thrust up to third by winning their appeal against a hefty points penalty, Inter occupied sixth spot after 30 games; sitting only two points clear of seventh-placed Atalanta, they are now outsiders to claim a Champions League place.

Desperate to get back on track - as his job remains on the line despite his team's European exploits - Inzaghi will therefore hope a superb track record in Empoli will stand him in good stead this weekend: Inter have not conceded a single goal during their last seven league visits there, winning each of their last four.

Empoli, on the other hand, will prefer to reflect on January's reverse fixture, when they stunned San Siro with a determined display against 10-man Inter, going on to win 1-0 thanks to Tommaso Baldanzi's second-half strike.

That was, though, one of only two Serie A successes in their last 12 matches, amid a sequence which has brought four draws and six defeats.

Following last week's loss at relegation-threatened Cremonese, the Azzurri have also failed to find the net in the last two, so will now aim to avoid going three top-flight fixtures without scoring for the first time since 2017.

Unlikely as it may seem, the danger of being dragged into a relegation scrap over the final few rounds has not been fully extinguished, as Empoli are now only nine points clear of the bottom three and hopes of a top-half finish are all but over.

A tally of 25 goals from 30 league games tells the tale of Paolo Zanetti's woes during his first season in charge of the Tuscan club, but doing the double over an ailing Inter team this week would certainly brighten the mood at the Castellani.

Team News

Following his team's efforts in midweek, Simone Inzaghi may feel the need to freshen up his starting XI on Sunday afternoon, though Inter cannot afford to slip up again in Serie A.

Milan Skriniar is set to stay sidelined, but the under-fire coach should otherwise have a full hand from which to choose; therefore, Romelu Lukaku, Joaquin Correa and Hakan Calhanoglu could all be promoted from the bench.

A famously streaky striker, Lautaro Martinez may have found the net on Wednesday, but has not scored with his last 19 shots in the league - his worst such run for three years. On 14 Serie A strikes this term, he could still become the first Inter player to score at least 15 times in three consecutive seasons since Mauro Icardi did so in 2017.

Empoli, meanwhile, are also facing a defensive dilemma, as Juventus loanee Koni De Winter suffered a serious knee injury against Cremonese. Paolo Zanetti will hope to have Ardian Ismajli back from a muscular problem in time to partner Sebastiano Luperto at the heart of the hosts' back four.

In addition, first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario remains a doubt, so Samuele Perisan may be called upon to deputise once again.

Up front, Roberto Piccoli, Francesco Caputo, Nicolo Cambiaghi and Inter loanee Martin Satriano are competing for two places; veteran striker Mattia Destro is more likely to make a second-half cameo from the bench.

Empoli possible starting lineup:
Perisan; Ebuehi, Ismajli, Luperto, Parisi; Bandinelli, Marin, Haas; Baldanzi; Piccoli, Caputo

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Onana; D'Ambrosio, Acerbi, Bastoni; Bellanova, Gagliardini, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Gosens; Correa, Lukaku

We say: Empoli 0-1 Inter Milan

With an eye on Wednesday's Coppa Italia tie and wearied by their Champions League exertions, Inter could be considered vulnerable to yet another league loss. However, they have recently ruled supreme at the Castellani and Empoli's lack of a goal threat will play straight into their hands.


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