Juventus vs. Inter Milan
The Derby d’Italia will electrify the Allianz Stadium on Saturday evening when Juventus, with a perfect points haul, meet a struggling Inter. The Bianconeri sit second in the table after two wins without conceding a goal, while the Nerazzurri are already under pressure early in the season after their surprise 1-2 home defeat to Udinese. Igor Tudor’s defensively stable team welcomes an Inter side that, under Cristian Chivu, wants to play more aggressively and vertically, but is still showing vulnerability. However, Juventus will be without Conceição, Zhegrova, and Miretti, while Inter have a full squad to choose from. Despite Turin’s home advantage, bookmakers see this encounter as very evenly matched, underlining the importance of this early test for both teams’ title ambitions.
- Venue: Allianz Stadium, Turin
- Date and time: 13.09.2025, 18:00
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 3)
Juventus Form & Record Check
Juventus are in impressive form after two matchdays. With two wins from two games and yet to concede a goal, Tudor seems to have found what the team was missing last season. The Bianconeri share second place in the table with Cremonese on six points, just one point behind leaders Napoli.
The recent 1-0 away win at Genoa underlined their new-found defensive stability. Vlahović decided the game with his goal in the 73rd minute after Kostić provided the assist. Tudor’s personnel management proved flexible: David came on for Vlahović in the second half, revealing various offensive options. Juve had already made their ambitions clear at the start of the season with a convincing 2-0 win over Parma. The defense around Bremer and Gatti looks like a different team, while up front, both Vlahović and new signing David have already proven their scoring prowess. Yıldız stands out with his passing accuracy and quality assists.
However, personnel concerns cloud the picture somewhat. Conceição is out with muscle problems, Zhegrova is struggling with adductor problems and may not be available again until the weekend. Miretti is suffering from a thigh injury. These absences could force Tudor to make tactical adjustments ahead of the difficult home game against Inter.
Coach Tudor is likely to stick with his tried-and-tested 3-4-2-1 formation, which has recently given the team stability. Di Gregorio will be between the posts, while the back three of Gatti, Bremer, and Kelly will form the defensive center.
Several offensive options are missing: Conceição is struggling with muscle problems, Zhegrova is suffering from adductor problems, and Miretti is also out with a thigh injury. These absences could play into the hands of Yıldız and Koopmeiners, who are likely to play as number tens behind striker David. Locatelli and Thuram are expected to form the midfield axis, while Kalulu and João Mário will play on the wings. Vlahović will probably start on the bench after David’s recent impressive performances.
Inter Form & Record Check
Inter Milan are not yet in top form after two league games. The start to the new season under coach Cristian Chivu has been mixed, with the Nerazzurri currently occupying sixth place in the table. The recent 1-2 home defeat to Udinese has made it clear that the Milanese have not yet found their usual stability.
The first two league appearances showed different sides to the team: while they demolished Torino 5-0 in their opening game, they suffered a setback against Udinese eleven days later. Despite taking an early lead through Dumfries, the hosts let the game slip away, conceding two goals and looking shaky in defense. Chivu seems to be breaking new ground tactically, wanting his team to play more aggressively and vertically.
With three points and just one point behind Lazio, Inter are well below expectations. The goal difference of plus four belies their defensive vulnerability. It is striking that the team has not drawn a single game in its last five matches. The transfer activities in the summer brought in fresh blood with Sučić, Akanji, and other new signings, but the integration still seems to need time. One might think that the team first has to get used to Chivu’s new philosophy, which apparently calls for more pressing and direct play.
Inter are likely to line up in their usual 3-5-2 formation, which Cristian Chivu has maintained so far. Sommer is expected to start in goal, with Bisseck, Acerbi, and Bastoni forming the back three. Dumfries and Dimarco are likely to occupy the wide positions, while Barella, Çalhanoğlu, and new signing Sučić could feature in midfield.
The tried-and-tested duo of Thuram and Lautaro Martínez are set to lead the line. Bisseck could be an interesting case, as he is under pressure after his mistake in the 1-2 defeat to Udinese. New loanee Akanji from Manchester City could well be an alternative should Chivu want to make changes.
H2H Juventus – Inter Head-to-head & Statistics
The last five matches between Juventus and Inter offer some interesting insights. Juventus have only won once, in February this year with a narrow 1-0 victory. Inter have won twice, including both away games in the league. Two other matches ended in a draw.
The second-half statistics are particularly striking: both teams hardly ever manage to create any decisive chances. In three consecutive games, the second half remained goalless, which is quite unusual for a derby of this magnitude. The decisions are usually made in the first half. Inter have proven to be the more consistent team in direct encounters. The Nerazzurri have scored in four of the last five meetings at halftime, while Juventus often struggle to get into the game early on.
Despite the intense rivalry, the games usually remain within reasonable limits. Four of the five games ended with fewer than three goals, with only the spectacular 4-4 draw in October 2024 breaking the mold. An exception, but one that shows that both teams are capable of surprises.
Under 2.5 goals seems particularly tempting, as Juventus, with Bremer and Gatti, present a newly formed but already functional defense that has not conceded a goal in the first two league games. Fabio Capello recently praised the Bianconeri’s regained defensive stability and sees it as a decisive factor in their title ambitions, but at the same time warned against Çalhanoğlu, who in his opinion is “wandering around the pitch” and not showing his usual punch. Last season’s Derby d’Italia in Turin ended in a narrow 1-0 victory, underlining the tendency for these games to be tactical and tight affairs.
The tip for a Juventus home win is supported by several factors: The Bianconeri got off to a perfect start to the season with two clean-sheet victories, while Inter recently suffered a bitter defeat against Udinese. Vlahović has already proven his qualities as a substitute with two goals, and the fact that Lautaro Martínez is traveling directly from South America could cause Inter to have adjustment problems. The betting markets price Juventus as slight favorites at 2.6, which offers good value given their home strength and the current differences in form. A riskier alternative is over 3.5 goals at odds of around 4.4, should both attacking lines get going early and break the usual tactical shackles.
