Inter Milan's new season starts with an away game at the Stadio Via del Mare in Lecce. Inter finished 2nd last season with 84 points, just two points shy of winning back-to-back Scudettos. On the other hand Lecce won Serie B with 71 points, its 10th promotion to the top flight of Italian soccer and its first appearance in Serie A since the 2019-20 season. These two teams did not play last season, but Inter went a perfect 6W-0D-0L against newly promoted sides last season (Empoli, Salernitana, and Venezia), outscoring them 20-3 in those six matches. Here's what you need to know:
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Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Aug 13 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
Location: Stadio Via del Mare -- Lecce, Italy
TV: CBS Sports Network
Live stream: Paramount+
Odds: Lecce +1000; Draw +460; Inter Milan -360 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Team news
Lecce: The home team will be without its top scorer and top assist man from last season after 33-year-old Massimo Coda was sold to Genoa for $1.7 million this offseason. Coda scored 20 goals for Lecce in Serie B, most in the league, and his seven assists ranked tied for fifth in Serie B. However, returning is Gabriel Strefezza and he scored 14 goals last season, tied for second in Serie B with three other players, and recorded six assists, tied for ninth. Strefezza ran hot though, as he scored nearly seven goals more than expected (7.2 expected goals).
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Inter Milan: Nerazzurri saw in the summer the comeback of Romelu Lukaku on loan from Chelsea. Inter returns with its two double-digit goal scorers from last season: Lautaro Martínez (21) and Edin Džeko (13). Along with Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella, both recorded 12 assists apiece (second most in Serie A last season). On the other hand Inter will be without Ivan Perisic after the Croatian player left for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer. Perisic scored seven Serie A goals last season, third on Inter. Inter led Serie A with 84 goals scored last season, seven more than Lazio in second. Inter also led the league with a +52 goal differential in 2021-22.
Prediction
Inter Milan are expected to start off the new season with a win and need to send an immediate message to their competitors for the title race. PICK: Inter Milan 2, Lecce 1.
