Inter Milan vs Atalanta – News and Probable Lineups

Both clubs faced heavy losses in their latest matches, but Inter de Milão and their neighbors Atalanta BC are set to turn a new chapter as they clash in Serie A on Saturday.

While Inter’s pursuit of the Scudetto was interrupted by a defeat in the Milan derby, La Dea suffered a significant setback in the Champions League.

Match overview

In the second Derby della Madonnina of the season, both teams were competing for the Italian title, but AC Milan trailed by 10 points and desperately needed a win.

Yet again, the Rossoneri came out on top against their rivals, leaving Cristian Chivu and company to reflect on another derby loss at San Siro.

Previously unbeaten in the league since late November, when they also fell 1-0 to Milan, Chivu must now be worried about his team’s declining performance.

Inter have recorded three losses in their last six matches across all competitions, matching the total number of defeats they had in the previous 20 games.

However, with significantly fewer draws than Milan, they remain the favorites to secure the Scudetto and are on the verge of reaching the Coppa Italia final.

Looking for an opportunity to bounce back, Chivu’s squad will aim to extend their dominance against Atalanta, who also faced a disappointing loss in their last outing.

The last time Inter lost to Atalanta was in 2018, and they have triumphed in all seven subsequent league encounters.

When playing at San Siro, Atalanta hasn’t managed a Serie A victory over Inter in nearly 12 years; during this period, they have suffered eight defeats in 11 matches while allowing an average of 2.5 goals per game.

The Bergamo outfit will make a short journey to Italy’s second city after facing another major European club on Tuesday, where their hopes in the Champions League were brutally crushed by Bayern Munich.

Trailing 3-0 before halftime, Atalanta succumbed to a 6-1 loss at home to the Bundesliga frontrunners, which likely renders next week’s return leg of little significance – despite their past ability to recover from deficits, as seen against Borussia Dortmund in the playoffs.

Raffaele Palladino’s team has garnered only one point from their last two league fixtures and drew 2-2 with Lazio in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final, indicating a concerning trend.

A first domestic defeat of 2026, against a 10-man Sassuolo side, had already dampened their faint hopes for a top-four finish, before they faltered again last weekend.

In their match against mid-table Udinese, La Dea conceded goals before and after halftime, yet they managed to rally for a late equalizer.

Since Palladino took charge in November, the Bergamaschi rank among Serie A’s top four for points collected and goals conceded, but they need to find that form again to secure more European football.

Team News

The injury report for Inter still prominently features their inspirational captain Lautaro Martinez, who currently leads Serie A’s Capocannoniere rankings this season.

The Nerazzurri have won 77% of matches this season when ‘El Toro’ has been on the pitch; without him, their success rate drops by 37%, and they average 1.4 fewer goals.

Following his absence from the derby clash against his former club, Hakan Calhanoglu could be poised to return, though former Atalanta defender Alessandro Bastoni is a slight doubt.

With Martinez unavailable, Chivu is likely to select two from Françasco Pio Esposito, Marcus Thuram, and Ange-Yoan Bonny to lead his attacking line.

On the other hand, Nikola Krstovic and Italia striker Gianluca Scamacca will vie for the chance to spearhead La Dea’s attack after being surprisingly paired against Bayern.

Scamacca netted a brace in the previous week’s game against Udinese, but he hasn’t found the back of the net in his last seven Serie A away appearances.

After numerous false starts, Palladino hopes to welcome Ederson back from a muscular injury; however, Atalanta could still be without two key players: Giacomo Raspadori and Charles De Ketelaere have only recently resumed training.

Inter Milan probable starting XI:

Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito

Atalanta BC probable starting XI:

Meatballs; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Ahanor; Zappacosta, De Roon, Pasalic, Bernasconi; Samardzic, Zalewski; Scam

Recent encounters indicate that Inter should comfortably secure a win against their fellow Nerazzurri from nearby Bergamo.

With seven consecutive Serie A victories in their head-to-head meetings, the hosts are poised to inflict further harm on a struggling Atalanta side this weekend.