Inter head into the weekend sitting joint-second in Serie A on 13 points after five games, level with Roma and Lazio at the top, but the mood around the club is more cautious than the table suggests. A leaky defence has been the dominant concern, with Cristian Chivu using the international break to focus training specifically on defensive organisation. The squad conceded eight goals across their last five competitive outings, including a 5-3 win over Udinese and a 2-2 comeback draw at Roma, results that underline both attacking quality and defensive fragility.

The break has brought some relief on the injury front. Djed Spence made his Inter debut in a 2-0 friendly win over Lumezzane on October 3, while Federico Dimarco was also reported fit. Hakan Calhanoglu and John Stones remain doubts for the Serie A return against Parma at San Siro on October 10. Adding another selection twist, Ivan Provedel is now expected to start in goal ahead of Josep Martinez, marking his competitive debut for the club.

In attack, Marcus Thuram is certain to start, but Chivu is still weighing his second forward option, with Lautaro Martinez potentially rested and Ange-Yoan Bonny among those pushing for a place. With nine games to come in the next month, squad depth and defensive improvement will define whether Inter can turn a promising start into a genuine title challenge.