Genoa vs Inter prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2024-08-16 16:30.
[p]Genoa return to league action looking to build on what was a solid first season back in Serie A last term when they secured 11th, their joint-best top-flight finish since the 2015/16 season. Improving on that this season might be a tall order after losing influential striker Mateo Retegui to Atalanta over the summer.[/p]
[p]Only Albert Guðmundsson (G14) scored more league goals than Retegui (G7) last season, but he is also the subject of transfer speculation, with opponents here Inter Milan ironically one of those said to be interested. Coach Alberto Gilardino will have to put those concerns to one side for now, and would have been buoyed by his side’s 1-0 win over Reggiana last weekend in the Coppa Italia, but it is worth noting the Rossoblù have lost their last two top-flight season openers, including a 4-0 loss to Inter in August 2021.[/p]
[p]Inter won their 20th Serie A title last season, doing so by finishing a mammoth 19 points clear of second-placed rivals AC Milan, with their only two defeats in the league campaign coming against the now-relegated Sassuolo! But with the last four Scudetto winners failing to defend their title, Inter will have to buck a trend that manager Simone Inzaghi admitted this week won’t be easy.[/p]
[p]With those lofty goals in mind, the visitors know they’ll have to be at it from the off here and will surely take confidence from the fact they’ve won each of their last five league opening fixtures of the season. An impressive record against Genoa over their last ten meetings (W8, D2) should also boost their belief.  [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Junior Messias kick-started Genoa’s season with a winner in Coppa Italia action, but has never scored against Inter in 12 personal H2Hs. Inter’s Lautaro MartĂnez is also yet to score a goal in six league H2Hs, but did score a brace on matchday one in a 2-0 win over Monza last season.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Genoa have failed to score in eight of their last ten Serie A H2Hs, going on to lose seven of those.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Sridhar Bhamidi[/i][/p]