Key Facts
- Inter leads Serie A with 49 points, but is only three points ahead of Milan; Pisa is 19th with 14 points and desperately needs points in the relegation battle.
- Inter’s league form is pragmatic but stable: they have scored in five competitive games, in four of them before the break, most recently in a 1-0 win in Udine.
- Pisa has been waiting for a win for five league games and has conceded goals in each of them; notably, four of the five first halves ended in a draw before they lost control later on.
- Inter has to rotate without Dumfries and Çalhanoğlu, which changes the rhythm; Pisa are missing important defensive and creative players in Albiol, Lusuardi, Denoon, and Stengs.
- In direct comparison, Inter remained unbeaten in two games (3-1 goals); both halves started quietly, but after the break, Inter scored and Pisa conceded goals.
- With odds of 1.2 for a home win and 7.0 for a draw, special bets are coming into focus: Pisa has seen over 1.5 goals and conceded goals in five games, while Inter has scored five times in a row.
At the top of the table, every slip-up counts for Inter Milan, because with 49 points, they are only three points ahead of AC Milan. The situation is correspondingly tight when Cristian Chivu’s Inter host Alberto Gilardino’s Pisa on Friday, January 23, at 7:45 p.m. at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on the 22nd matchday of Serie A. For Pisa, on the other hand, it’s a matter of sheer survival: in 19th place with 14 points, three behind Lecce and level on points with Verona, every point is desperately needed. Inter’s form in the league is in line with their title pace – as underlined by Saturday’s 1-0 win at Udinese, when Martínez scored after Esposito’s assist. However, Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat at Arsenal in the Champions League means Chivu is forced to rotate his squad. Pisa has drawn too often, but the 1-1 draw against Atalanta, secured by Durosinmi, has given them a noticeable boost in confidence.
- Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
- Date and time: January 23, 2026, 8:45 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 22)
After their Champions League setback against Arsenal, Inter look set to take the lead at half-time, with Esposito providing an early assist for Martínez. Pisa’s recent 1-1 draw against Atalanta showed resistance, but Stengs is still out, so “Both teams to score: No” is a good bet, while Inter’s overall pressure still points to over 2.5 goals.
Inter Form & Record Check
Inter go into round 22 still top of Serie A, with 49 points and only a 3-point lead over AC Milan, so there is little room for complacency. The team’s league form is stable, supported by ball control and a tendency to prefer decisive moments rather than high scores. They have scored in each of their last five competitive games, with four of those goals coming in the first half, while the second halves have been rather tough. The national series thrives on small margins: the 0-1 win at Udinese and the 1-0 win against Lecce were professional, but also showed how important sharpness in the penalty area is. In Udine, Martínez finished after Esposito’s lay-off and Zieliński’s through ball, while Dimarco had a goal disallowed for offside. In the 2-2 draw against Napoli, the defense looked too soft after losing possession, before a calmly played 0-2 defeat in Parma. Europe is the blemish, and the 1-3 defeat against Arsenal at San Siro was already the third Champions League defeat in a row. Sučić equalized, but Inter allowed too many clear chances and lost control late on. Chivu’s rotation paid off in Udine, and it may be necessary again because Dumfries and Çalhanoğlu are still out, but the rhythm without them is not quite the same.
Inter are likely to stick with their usual system of three center backs and probably start in a 3-5-2. Sommer should start behind Akanji, Acerbi, and Bastoni, with Darmian and Dimarco providing width as wingbacks. In midfield, Barella looks like the engine, flanked by Zieliński and Sučić, while Thuram forms the duo with Martínez up front.
The big question mark is on the right, with Dumfries still out after ankle surgery, making Darmian the safest option for the starting lineup. Carlos Augusto would be an alternative if Chivu wants more attacking threat there. Çalhanoğlu is also missing, which could see Zieliński drop deeper as playmaker and Barella take on more responsibility in carrying the ball forward. Palacios remains unavailable in defense.
Pisa Form & Record Check
Pisa comes to San Siro and has been waiting for a win in the league for five games. Three draws and two defeats have pushed Gilardino’s team to 19th place in the table with 14 points. The gaps are small enough to keep their hopes alive, three points behind Lecce above them and level on points with Verona below them, but the pattern is still uninspiring. Too many games are drifting by without any real decisive moments. The 1-1 draw against Atalanta was probably their best performance recently. They had a decent first half with a number of chances, before a late lapse allowed Krstovic to score. However, to their credit, they responded immediately. Durosinmi’s header from Léris’ cross showed how valuable direct crosses from the wing can be. Before that, there was a 2-2 draw at Udinese, a committed performance, but still vulnerable as soon as the game opened up. If there is one clear warning sign, it is how quickly their confidence crumbles when they fall behind. Just look at the 3-0 home defeat to Como, when the gaps in defense fell apart and the midfield barely covered the penalty area. The 1-1 draw in Genoa showed resilience, but it came after a 2-0 defeat to Juventus, in which Pisa rarely applied sustained pressure and gave the game away too easily. In these five Serie A games, they have conceded goals every time and, interestingly, four first halves ended in a draw. That speaks for early organization, but not for sustained control. Injuries in defense were certainly a factor, with Albiol, Lusuardi, and Denoon missing, as well as Stengs as a creative link. Angori’s crosses and the high number of set pieces offer a way forward, but Pisa still relies heavily on individual moments rather than a stable attacking structure.
Gilardino is likely to stick with Pisa’s usual 3-4-2-1 formation, with Scuffet in goal and a back three of Calabresi, Canestrelli, and Coppola in front of him. Touré and Angori are expected to provide width as wing-backs, while Marin and Aebischer will anchor the midfield. Up front, Moreo and Tramoni are the likely supporting pair behind Durosinmi. With Albiol, Lusuardi, and Denoon still missing in defense, the forecast tends toward continuity rather than rotation, which puts additional weight on Canestrelli’s leadership role in the initial build-up. Stengs remains on the sidelines, so creativity could once again come from Angori’s crosses and Tramoni between the lines. If a goal is needed, Cuadrado or Nzola would be candidates for early substitutions.
Inter – Pisa Head-to-head comparison & statistics
Inter has the upper hand in the last two encounters, with one win and one draw, scoring a total of 3:1 goals. The most recent meeting in November 2025 ended Pisa 0:2 Inter, a controlled away win with no goals conceded. The earlier game in 2024 was a 1-1 draw in a friendly. Both games went over 1.5 goals but stayed under 2.5. There is a clear pattern in the timing of the goals. The first halves were fairly quiet in both games, with under 1.5 goals each, and Inter did not score before the break. After the break, Inter was successful in both games, and Pisa conceded goals in the second half in both cases. In the league game in November 2025, Pisa never really threatened the scoreboard. With only two data points, this is more of an indication than a reliable trend, but it could suggest Inter’s ability to pick up the pace with adjustments during the game. Pisa’s only goal in this mini sample came in the 2024 friendly, and the rest suggests that they struggle to keep up the resistance at the back. When the game is close early on, the second half has been the period in which the game has been decided so far.
