Simone Inzaghi Praises Cesc Fabregas' Como Ahead of Serie A Match

Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has provided an update on the team's injury situation, with Stefan de Vrij and Matteo Darmian doubtful for the match against Como.

Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi has expressed uncertainty regarding the availability of defenders Stefan de Vrij and Matteo Darmian for their upcoming Serie A match against Como on Monday at the San Siro.

Inter Milan currently occupies third place in the league standings with 34 points from 15 games, having suffered their only league defeat at the hands of AC Milan in September. The reigning champions trail leaders Napoli by four points, although they have two games in hand. Additionally, Inter sits three points behind second-placed Atalanta in the table.

Inter Milan is currently facing defensive challenges due to the absences of Francesco Acerbi and Benjamin Pavard, who have both struggled with hamstring injuries this season. Acerbi briefly returned to action last month, featuring in matches against Napoli and Hellas Verona, but has since missed Inter's last five games. Pavard, on the other hand, has been sidelined since the start of December.

Manager Simone Inzaghi addressed the team's defensive concerns on Sunday, stating, “We're dealing with a few absences in defence. Pavard and Acerbi are unavailable, and today De Vrij and Darmian also had issues.” Inzaghi provided an update on the status of De Vrij and Darmian, saying, “We will evaluate with the medical staff in the morning to see if they're fit; as of now, they're not. But we're hopeful we can ask them to make some sacrifices.”

“At present, we hope to have Acerbi and Pavard return as soon as possible.”

Inter Milan's upcoming opponents, Como, have experienced a rollercoaster season under the guidance of former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. After achieving impressive victories over Atalanta and Verona in September, Como endured a nine-match winless streak. However, they recently broke this drought with a 2-0 win over AS Roma.

Inter manager Simone Inzaghi has expressed his admiration for Fabregas and his team, stating, “I like Fabregas a lot. His principles are clear, and his team plays high-quality football.” Inzaghi has been following Fabregas' progress, noting, “I already followed him in Serie B last year and this year in Serie A, they’ve competed strongly against top teams. Como is a side with great quality and always plays to win.”

Inzaghi emphasized the importance of ending the year on a high note, particularly given the competitive nature of the league. “We're seeing the difficulty of a league where all the teams are running and there's a lot of competition,” he said. Looking ahead to the new year, Inzaghi acknowledged that the challenges will only intensify, stating, “We know we’ll have to step up because next year won't be like this year, it will be a different battle.”