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Inter open the defence of their Serie A crown at home to Monza on Saturday 22 August, with kick-off at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza set for 5:30pm UK time. <\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s Matchweek 1 of the 2026-27 season, and the fixture pairs the reigning champions against a Monza side returning to the top flight at the first attempt after relegation.<\/p>\n With Cristian Chivu newly bedded in for a first full season in the Inter dugout, and Monza back in Milan for the first time since their promotion was confirmed, there\u2019s plenty of fresh context to unpack before a ball is kicked.<\/p>\n Competition: Serie A 2026-27, Matchweek 1. Date: Saturday 22 August 2026. Kick-off: 5:30pm UK time. Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan.<\/p>\n Inter arrive as Serie A champions, having finished top of the table in 2025-26 with 87 points from 38 games.<\/p>\n They clinched the title with three matches to spare and closed the campaign on an eight-match unbeaten run, a stretch that underlines the control Chivu\u2019s side had over the closing months.<\/p>\n Their last five league matches of that campaign read draw, win, win, draw, draw, and they signed off with a 3-3 draw away at Bologna.<\/p>\n Pre-season under Chivu has shown flashes of that same steel. Inter won on penalties against Manchester City, beat Karlsruher SC, and edged Juventus 2-1 on 8 August, sandwiched around a 1-1 draw with AC Milan.<\/p>\n Monza return to Serie A after finishing third in Serie B in 2025-26 under head coach Paolo Bianco, posting 76 points from 38 games.<\/p>\n Finishing third wasn\u2019t enough for automatic promotion. Monza had to go through the play-offs, where they met fifth-placed Catanzaro in the final.<\/p>\n The tie finished level on aggregate at 2-2, with Monza winning the first leg 2-0 before a 0-2 defeat in the return. Promotion went their way on the strength of their superior regular-season finish, sealing an immediate return to the top flight.<\/p>\n In pre-season, Monza have shown attacking spark, winning 4-3 against Pro Vercelli and 2-0 against Galatasaray, though they also lost 1-3 to Aris Thessalonikis and most recently drew 3-3 with Padova on 7 August.<\/p>\n Monza and Inter have met six times since 7 January 2023, all in Serie A. Inter have won three, Monza one, with two draws, and Inter hold the aggregate goals edge 13-7.<\/p>\n The most recent meeting came on 8 March 2025, when Inter won 3-2 at San Siro. That same season also produced a 1-1 draw between the sides in September 2024.<\/p>\n In 2023-24, Inter won both meetings, including a 5-1 away win in January 2024. The only Monza victory in this span came away from home, 1-0, in April 2023.<\/p>\n Lautaro Mart\u00ednez top-scored for Inter in 2025-26 Serie A with 17 goals and 6 assists in 30 appearances. Marcus Thuram added 13 goals and 6 assists in 29 league games last season.<\/p>\n Federico Dimarco contributed 7 goals and a league-high 16 assists in 35 appearances in 2025-26.<\/p>\n Andrea Petagna was Monza\u2019s leading scorer in 2025-26 Serie B with 9 goals and 4 assists in 31 appearances.<\/p>\n Patrick Cutrone, who joined from Como, scored 6 goals with 3 assists in 20 Serie B games for Monza last season.<\/p>\n Matteo Pessina was an ever-present for the club, starting all 37 of his appearances and scoring 5 goals in 2025-26 Serie B.<\/p>\n On the balance of recent history, Inter\u2019s status as champions and their record of three wins from the last six meetings with Monza point to a match Chivu\u2019s side will be expected to dominate for spells.<\/p>\n That\u2019s especially true given the firepower of Mart\u00ednez, Thuram and Dimarco in the final third.<\/p>\n Monza arrive with momentum from a Serie B campaign that yielded 61 goals and a squad containing proven Serie A performers in Cutrone and Petagna, suggesting they won\u2019t simply sit back.<\/p>\n Inter\u2019s title defence didn\u2019t come through blowout after blowout in the closing weeks, and Monza have shown they can score goals in bunches during pre-season.<\/p>\n That combination suggests a competitive opening test for the champions rather than a formality, even allowing for the gulf in recent top-flight experience between the two clubs.<\/p>\n
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\n<\/ul>\n<\/p><\/div>\nInter v Monza Match Details And Kick-Off Time<\/h2>\n
Inter\u2019s Title-Winning Form Heading Into Monza Clash<\/h2>\n
Monza\u2019s Route Back To Serie A Under Paolo Bianco<\/h2>\n
Inter And Monza\u2019s Recent Head-To-Head Record<\/h2>\n
Inter Players To Watch: Mart\u00ednez, Thuram, Dimarco<\/h2>\n
Monza Players To Watch: Petagna, Cutrone, Pessina<\/h2>\n
Inter v Monza Prediction And What To Expect<\/h2>\n
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Monza<\/h3>\n
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