Inter Milano vs Hellas Verona 17 May 2026 Prediction

One of Inter’s best seasons of the 21st century is nearing its end. In the penultimate round of Serie A, the Lombardy side will host Verona, which has already lost its chance to stay in the top division.

For the Milan club, Verona has long been a reliable source of points. The Nerazzurri have won 10 of the last 11 head-to-head meetings, including the first match of this league season (2-1).

The Best Team in Italy

Inter has beaten struggling Lazio twice in a row, and the second win brought the Nerazzurri another trophy. The Milan club added the Coppa Italia to its league title, completing a domestic double for the first time since 2010. That result also extended Inter’s unbeaten run across all competitions to 10 matches.

Cristian Chivu’s team has the best attack in Italy by a clear margin. For the first time since 2021, a Serie A team has scored 85 goals through 36 rounds. The hosts’ dominant style is also reflected in another number: Inter has completed the most passes in the attacking third in this league season.

Player Quality Was Not Enough to Stay Up

In recent years, Verona has suffered badly from a lack of funding, and the ownership change has not improved the situation. All the best players who carried the team last season were sold in the summer transfer window. With the remaining low-quality squad, neither Paolo Zanetti nor Paolo Sammarco, who replaced him in February, managed to get results.

In 2026, the Mastiffs have won only one of 20 official matches and confirmed relegation to the second division with three rounds still remaining. Verona’s only real strength is aerial play. Only Pisa wins more aerial duels in the current league season than Verona, which averages 18.11 per match.

What to Know

• Inter has won its last eight home matches against bottom-half opponents.
• Inter is the only team in the league that has not received a red card.
• No Serie A team has scored fewer second-half goals than Verona (9).

Inter vs Verona Predicted Lineup

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer — De Vrij, Acerbi, Augusto — Dumfries, Frattesi, Sucic, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco — Esposito, L. Martinez

Out: Calhanoglu (injury)

Manager: Cristian Chivu

Verona (3-5-2): Montipo — Nelsson, Edmundsson, Valentini — Belghali, Bernede, Gagliardini, Akpa Akpro, Bradaric — Suslov, Bowie

Out: Niasse, Serdar, Oyegoke, Bella-Kotchap, Mosquera (all injured)

Manager: Paolo Sammarco

Referee: Andrea Calzavara

Calzavara has previously officiated only two top-division matches. In his last 10 official matches, he has shown fewer than four yellow cards only three times.

• Has officiated 19 matches in the 2025/26 season
• Averages 4.32 yellow cards and 30.68 fouls per match
• Has awarded five penalties (21%)
• Has sent off two players (11%) 

Inter vs Verona Prediction: Inter -2.5 at 2.46

• Main Pick: In its last away match, Verona produced a major surprise by taking points from Juventus, which is fighting for a Champions League place (1-1). However, Paolo Sammarco’s deep defensive approach is unlikely to work against this version of Inter. No team in Italy is better at breaking down low blocks, and once the Nerazzurri score the first goal against a weaker opponent, the second and third often follow. In half of Inter’s last six Serie A matches, the Milan club won by at least three goals. Against the second-to-last team in the league, we also choose Inter -2.5 at 2.46.
• Total Pick: The league’s highest-scoring team is facing an opponent that has conceded more goals than all but two teams in the current Serie A season. In this matchup, the over looks very realistic. Inter’s last six league matches have produced 26 total goals, an average of 4.33 per game, so it makes sense to back over 3.5 goals at 2.22.
• Correct Score Pick: There is no doubt about the strength of Inter’s attack, but its defensive reliability also matters. Inter allows the fewest shots in the league, averaging just 8.94 against per match. Considering that the Nerazzurri have also kept clean sheets in their last three official matches, the pick is correct score 4-0 at 10.25.