Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi. (Photo : Getty Images)
Contending squad Inter Milan (18-9-7, 61 points) was dealt a huge blow in their Champions League aspirations during the last matchday. They will try to still reach for it as they host lowly club Udinese Calcio (10-16-8, 38 points) for a 2015-2016 Serie A game at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in San Siro on Saturday, April 23rd.
Inter is settled at the fourth spot of the current league table, two points ahead of fifth-running club ACF Fiorentina, which is enough to qualify for the Europa League competitions next season. Finishing fourth place this year would be an upgrade for head coach Roberto Mancini as the team finished last season at the eighth spot.
However, I Nerazzurri have had lofty goals for 2016-2017, such as qualifying for the Champions League, as they have been among the league leaders all throughout the season.
But their bid has taken a significant setback after their sorry loss to middling team Genoa CFC, 0-1, at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Wednesday, as per ESPN.
The match was goalless for much of its time until the lone goal was scored by Genoa defender Sebastian De Maio at the 77th minute. It was enough to crush the Champions League hopes of La Beneamata as they are now seven points behind third-running team AS Roma after the loss.
Only the top three teams of the Italian Serie A will advance in the said European club competitions next season.
Meanwhile, Udinese pulled off a huge 2-1 upset over another contending team, Fiorentina, at their home field of Dacia Arena also on Wednesday, as reported by Football Italia.
Zebrette striker Duvan Zapata netted the opening goal right at the second minute of the match to give the early lead to head coach Luigi De Canio's side. Viola managed to level the count at the 23rd with a right-footed shot from the left side of the box by Argentine forward Mauro Zarate.
But the hosts earned the winner with a goal from French striker Cyril Thereau at the 53rd to give them another three points in the overall standings.
With the win, Udinese climbed away from the relegation zone by eight points with only four matchdays left this season.
The predicted result is a 1-0 bounce back win for Inter Milan.
Inter Milan starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Handanovic; D'Ambrosio, Miranda, Murillo, Alex; Medel, Melo; Brozovic, Palacio, Perisic; Icardi
Udinese starting lineup (3-5-2 formation): Karnezis; Heurtaux, Danilo, Wague; Widmer, Agyemang-Badu, Kuzmanovic, Fernandes, Kadhim; Zapata, Thereau
