Four days after dismantling Feyenoord 3-0 in Rotterdam, Inter return to Serie A action carrying the kind of confidence a clean European sheet provides. Cristian Chivu’s side sit third in Serie A with 25 points, two ahead of Sunday’s visitors Como, who arrive having demolished Lens 9-1 in the Champions League just 72 hours ago. Two teams in outstanding European form, two points apart in the table, with direct Champions League qualification the prize for whoever pulls clear. This is as tight a top-four picture as Italy has seen at this stage of a season in years.
What’s at stake
Serie A currently sends its top four clubs directly into the Champions League group stage, with further qualification places available below that. Inter are third on 25 points, Como fourth on 23, with AC Milan a further two back in fifth. Win here and Inter open a five-point gap on Como and move within three of leaders Lazio. A Como victory flips the picture entirely, pulling the two sides level and putting pressure on Inter from below for the first time this season.
For Como, a club back in Italy’s top flight after a long absence, sitting fourth and in European contention at this point of the season is already extraordinary. A win at Inter, a fixture they have never won in the last six meetings, would be the clearest statement yet that Cesc Fabregas has built something genuinely durable. For Inter, dropping points at home after a week of European momentum would invite questions about whether Chivu can keep the squad dialed in across two competitions simultaneously.
How they got here
Inter have won four of their last five across all competitions, with the only blemish a 3-1 derby defeat to AC Milan on October 31. Since then, back-to-back wins at Venezia and in Rotterdam have restored the rhythm. Chivu has 26 goals scored and 13 conceded in the league through ten matches, a profile that reflects a side comfortable in possession but occasionally exposed to direct opponents. Como’s run is arguably even more eye-catching: four wins from their last five in league play, and that staggering 9-1 destruction of Lens on Tuesday means they arrive on the back of five wins from five across all competitions.
In the table, Lazio lead on 28 points with AS Roma second on 27 from 11 games. Inter’s 25 points from ten matches means they have a game in hand on both sides above them. Como’s 23 points from ten are built on seven wins, two draws, and one defeat, and their goals-against tally of just eight is the best defensive record among the top five. The two points separating third and fourth make Sunday’s fixture as direct a points exchange as either side will face before the winter break.
Key battle to watch
The central midfield contest looks decisive. Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu have been the engine of Inter’s build-up all season, controlling tempo and providing the vertical passes that unlock defenses. Fabregas has built Como around Maxence Caqueret and Nicolas Paz as a press-and-recover pairing that thrives when the opposition plays through the middle. If Calhanoglu and Barella can operate without being rushed, Inter’s attacking quality further up the pitch should tell. If Como win that midfield duel and force Inter into longer balls, their defensive structure, which has conceded only eight league goals all season, is well placed to absorb the pressure and hit on the counter through Assane Diao and Moise Kean.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
History is firmly with Inter: five wins from six head-to-head meetings, including a 4-0 at home last December and a 4-3 win at Como in April. That record, combined with home advantage and the momentum from Rotterdam, makes Inter the marginal favorite. But Como’s defensive solidity and their ability to press high through Caqueret and Paz give them a genuine path to something, and their current form suggests Fabregas’s side will not simply roll over. Expect a tight, low-scoring match where the first goal carries enormous weight.