Inter Milan kick off their Serie A campaign with all eyes on new manager Cristian Chivu, the club’s former defender now tasked with leading them into a new era.
The Nerazzurri are still nursing the wounds of a painful 2024/25 season where they fell agonisingly short on multiple fronts from losing the Scudetto to Napoli on the final day, finishing runners-up in both the Champions League and Supercoppa Italiana, and then crashing out of the Club World Cup under Chivu’s early watch.
The San Siro faithful will demand a positive start, especially as Inter haven’t won their first league fixture under a foreign manager since 2003, and Chivu knows a fast start could be crucial to winning the dressing room and stabilising the mood around the club.
The squad still boasts plenty of firepower despite some key absentees. Marcus Thuram, who tormented Torino with a hat-trick in last season’s meeting, found the net again in pre-season and looks ready to take on the role of talisman.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu and young Pio Esposito are suspended, while Federico Dimarco is battling a thigh bruise, but Inter’s depth ensures they remain favourites.
Confirmed Inter Milan XI to face torino released via the club’s official X handle; Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Sucic, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Lautaro Martínez.
Torino, meanwhile, arrive at the San Siro knowing history is not on their side. The Granata haven’t beaten Inter in over a dozen attempts and haven’t celebrated a league win at the San Siro since April 2016. New boss Marco Baroni has the task of breaking that cycle, and although his tenure began with a confidence-boosting Coppa Italia win over Modena, Torino’s patchy preparation raises concern.
Three defeats in pre-season friendlies against stronger opposition exposed their frailties, and against a team of Inter’s quality, they cannot afford to start slowly. Baroni will need to find the right balance between discipline and ambition if his side are to avoid being overwhelmed by the energy of Inter’s attack in front of their home fans.
That said, Torino have some players capable of causing problems. Nikola Vlašić remains one of their most creative outlets, scoring against Inter in last season’s corresponding fixture and netting the winner in their recent cup tie.
For Torino, this is as much about showing signs of progress under Baroni as it is about chasing a rare result against one of Serie A’s giants.
Torino Confirmed Lineup to face Inter Milan released via the club’s official X handle; Franco Israel; Lazaro, Coco, Masina, Biraghi; Gineitis, Ilkhan, Casadei; Ngonge, Simeone, Vlasic.
