Inter vs Monza Preview, Saturday, 22 August 2026, Serie A Week 1
✅ What excitement awaits! Inter, the reigning champions of Italy, will face off against the newly promoted Serie B team, Monza. The match is on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 18:30 CEST at the San Siro Stadium in Milan. This marks their 7th encounter in Serie A. The statistics heavily favor Inter, who have remained unbeaten in five of the last six meetings, boasting three wins and two draws.
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Inter has lost only one of the 18 season-opening matches played as title holders (including titles awarded on points) in the single round Serie A format. Stats are (10 wins, 7 draws since 1929/30): a 0-1 defeat to Venezia on October 6, 1940. You can bet that Inter is eager to kick off their title defense with a home win. Will they secure a victory? Or could Monza pull off an upset and snatch a draw or win? The pressure is certainly on Inter to start the season on the right foot.
Just think about it: this will be the third Lombard derby between Inter and Monza played on the opening day in the last four Serie A seasons. Previously, there was a match between Inter and Monza in the 2023/24 season, and another between Milan and Cremonese in the last edition of the tournament.
It’s incredible how many opening matches feature teams from Lombardy, especially compared to the 29 previous seasons since the introduction of the three points for a win system (Inter-Brescia in 1997/98, Brescia-Milan in 2001/02, and Inter-Atalanta in 2015/16).
Imagine this: Monza’s only victory in six previous encounters at San Siro against Inter and Milan in Serie A (5 losses) came during their first meeting at the Meazza in the tournament against the Nerazzurri: a 1-0 win on April 15, 2023, thanks to a goal by Luca Caldirola in the 78th minute.
Monza has never won in their three season-opening matches in Serie A. Stats show two losses (including a 0-2 defeat at the Meazza against Inter on August 19, 2023) and one draw.
In the history of the Serie A with a single round format (since 1929/30), the defending champion has only lost their first match of the season against a newly promoted team once out of 23 occasions (15 wins, 7 draws): this occurred during the Sampdoria-Juventus match on September 12, 1982, which ended 1-0. Specifically, Inter has achieved three victories (including two in Lombardy derbies against Brescia in 1971 and Cremonese in 1989) and one draw (against Bari in 2009) in these types of encounters.
In the regular season of Serie B 2025/26, Monza was the team that scored the most goals following sequences of at least 10 passes: eight goals, matching the record set by Inter in Serie A last season (a record shared with Como).
Last season, Inter scored a remarkable total of 124 goals across all competitions (including the Club World Cup), setting their all-time record for goals since the inception of the Serie A single round format (1929/30).
Players Statistics
Argentine forward Lautaro Martínez (132 goals) is just one goal away from tying Stefano Nyers (133) for third place among the top scorers in Inter’s Serie A history, behind Giuseppe Meazza (197). Lautaro was the top scorer in Serie A for the 2026-27 season with 17 goals. Lautaro is highly motivated after finishing 2nd place with Argentina in the World Cup.
Benito Lorenzi (138) is also in the mix. El Toro has scored five goals in six matches against Monza in the league (including two doubles) and netted six times in six games against newly promoted teams in the previous Serie A season.
Patrick Cutrone contributed to nine goals (six goals and three assists) in the last Serie BKT season, including playoffs; among players who participated in at least as many goals, the Monza forward played the fewest matches (20).
Head-to-head analytics BEFORE the game Inter vs Monza
The Giuseppe Meazza Stadium is set for Inter vs Monza
Source x.com/CorSport
Official Called-up Players Inter vs Monza
Monza Coach Ivan Jurić has selected the following 20 players for the trip to Milan:
Goalkeepers: Pizzignacco, Loubao
Defenders: Lucchesi, Antov, Delli Carri, Birindelli, Strajnar, Carboni, Robinson, Kouadio
Midfielders/Wingers: Mangas, Foe Ondoa, Forson, Galazzi, Bakoune, Colpani, A. Ballabio, Mout
Forwards: Varela, Cutrone
Notable absentees: Dany Mota and goalkeeper Demba Thiam (both suspended), along with Matteo Pessina.
Match Officials Inter vs Monza
Referee Livio Marinelli from the Tivoli section will officiate the match. Assisting him will be Vittorio Di Gioia from Nola and Domenico Palermo from Bari. The fourth official is Davide Di Marco from Ciampino. Matteo Gariglio from Pinerolo will serve as the VAR, while Valerio Marini from the Roma 1 section will be the AVAR.
Inter vs Monza predicted lineup
2026 – 2027 Italian Serie A Week 1
⚫️🔵 Inter – Monza ⚪🔴
Saturday 22 August 2026
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium
Milan, Italy
18:30
Referee: MARINELLI
Assistants: DI GIOIA – PALERMO
IV: DI MARCO
VAR: GARIGLIO
AVAR: MARINI
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