Two players returning to the starting lineup and a new mindset—one befitting a top-of-the-table team—to defeat their nemesis, the Rossoblù. This is how the Nerazzurri coach is preparing for Sunday’s match

First the test, then the lesson. But now it’s time for a new test that will show whether Inter has studied… Italian. Sixteen days after Riad, at San Siro, Chivu and his teammates will face Bologna again, and in just over two weeks it could be a completely different game—especially when it comes to the outcome. In the Super Cup semifinal, the Nerazzurri student stumbled on the final set of questions; in the league, they’ll have just ninety minutes to secure their fifth straight Serie A victory—it would be the first time this season—without any more blue-pencil errors. The eraser at the other end won’t be able to wipe away the more or less recent slip-ups (in the last 10 meetings, just 2 wins and several disappointments, from the 2-1 loss with Radu’s own goal to Orsolini’s overhead kick last year and the 2-2 draw also from last season, plus the defeat in the Round of 16 of the 2023 Coppa Italia) but compared to their last test, Inter can return to the starting lineup with a few more tricks up their sleeve.

That extra edge goes by the name of Lautaro Martinez. Left on the bench at the start in Riyadh and brought on only in the 71st minute, he will resume his spot up front from the start on Sunday. With a goal, he would score for the fifth consecutive league match and would also reach double digits for the seventh different season in Serie A, surpassing Vieri and Boninsegna (both with six seasons of at least ten goals), leaving only Giuseppe Meazza and Benito Lorenzi (with nine) and Alessandro Altobelli (eight) ahead of him in this special ranking. And if Chivu’s first tactical change for the second leg of the season against Bologna is to start Toro up front, the second is another return. Calhanoglu—who missed the Super Cup due to a recent adductor injury—will also regain his spot in midfield. Against Atalanta, he stayed on the field for all 90 minutes, played 75 balls, made 52 successful passes, and created 3 chances. In short, the Turk is back. But in addition to the certainties on the field, there will be the lessons learned from recent outings against the… Rossoblù beast. And the “move” in this case won’t be tactical but mental, a matter of spirit. The drive of top-of-the-table motivation, that of the class leader being hot on the heels of those waiting for nothing more than a misstep. With the top three teams separated by just three points, the standings could look completely different after the next 90 minutes. Inter, with two games to go before the halfway point, simply can’t afford that.