Inter vs Fiorentina is the Sunday lunchtime game at San Siro on 25 October, kicking off at 12:30 in Milan and 11:30 in the UK, because the clocks go back that morning. The champions went into the October break top of Serie A on goal difference. Fiorentina were 19th and already on their second coach of the season. It looks like a routine home win, and it probably is, but Inter's calendar and some strange recent history make me slightly less sure.
| # | Team | P | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Inter Milan | 7 | 12 | 19 | WWDWW |
| 18 |  Fiorentina | 7 | -9 | 4 | LLDWL |
Inter are scoring for fun again
Cristian Chivu's side won the 2025/26 title with three games to spare, Inter's 21st Scudetto, and they've started the defence the same way: five wins and a draw from six league games, and 18 goals, the most in Serie A. That includes 4-1 against Monza, 5-3 against Udinese and 3-0 against Parma on 10 October.
The goals come from everywhere. Lautaro Martínez had four in the league, two against Napoli and two in the 2-2 draw at Roma. Marcus Thuram and Hakan Çalhanoğlu had three each, and Pio Esposito, Ange-Yoan Bonny and Petar Sučić have all scored.
The defence is another story, with eight conceded in those six games. Yann Sommer left in the summer and Ivan Provedel arrived from Lazio, and with Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij also gone, the back line is still settling. If Fiorentina are going to get anything, it'll come from testing it early.
Why Fiorentina are already in trouble
Fiorentina finished 15th last season, appointed Fabio Grosso in June and sacked him on 6 September after three straight league defeats: 4-0 at Roma, then 3-0 and 2-1 at home to Frosinone and Torino. Paolo Vanoli, who had left at the end of his contract in June, was back the next day. Football is a strange business.
Vanoli's return brought a 4-2 win at Venezia, a 1-1 draw with Napoli and a 2-1 defeat at Genoa on 10 October. That's four points and one place off the bottom, with Como at home on 18 October before this trip.
Moise Kean left for Como over the summer, so the attack was rebuilt mostly on loan. Franco Mastantuono, borrowed from Real Madrid, is their top league scorer with three, all of them in the hat-trick at Venezia. Mateo Pellegrino, signed from Parma, has scored in the league and the Coppa Italia, while Wilfried Gnonto, Pedro Gonçalves and Álex Jiménez also arrived on loan. Beto, signed from Everton, is the direct option off the bench if they need to go long.
The real problem is at the back. Fourteen conceded in six league games. Against this Inter, Vanoli will probably have to defend deep and hope Mastantuono finds something on the break.
Inter Milan
FiorentinaSome odd recent meetings
In December 2024 the game in Florence was suspended after Edoardo Bove collapsed on the pitch. When it was replayed in February 2025, Fiorentina won 3-0, and Inter won the return at San Siro 2-1 a few days later. Last season was calmer: 3-0 to Inter in Milan, 1-1 in Florence.
Rotation is coming
Inter's fortnight is brutal. They go to Bologna on 17 October, host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on 21 October, face Fiorentina four days later, visit Venezia on 28 October and then play AC Milan in the derby on 31 October. Europe has been a worry too, with a 2-1 defeat at Real Madrid and a 4-3 home loss to Club Brugge on 13 October.
So Chivu will rotate, and the summer signings give him room to. John Stones and Curtis Jones arrived, Manuel Akanji joined permanently from Manchester City, and Djed Spence came in from Tottenham.
My pick for Inter vs Fiorentina
Inter should win whatever side Chivu picks. Fiorentina showed some spirit against Napoli, but they haven't kept a league clean sheet, and Inter have scored in every league game this season. The Viola did score four at Venezia, though, so I'd expect them to get one. Inter 3-1 Fiorentina.
Inter MilanFiorentinaDAMITV shows Inter vs Fiorentina free in HD with no signup, on our Serie A streams page and the Inter Milan live stream hub. The Champions League streams page has Inter's midweek game against Shakhtar, and our Napoli vs Roma preview covers Saturday's big game in Naples. Team news goes up on Inter's official website the day before.
Quick answers
What time does Inter's game with Fiorentina start in the UK?
11:30 on Sunday 25 October. Europe switches back to winter time early that morning, so it's 11:30 rather than 12:30. In Italy it's 12:30, and on the US East Coast 7:30 am.
What channel is it on?
In Italy, DAZN shows every Serie A game, with Sky Italia co-broadcasting a share of each round, so check whether this one is a DAZN exclusive. In the UK Serie A is on TNT Sports, and in the US it's on Paramount+.
