Journalist
October 20, 2024 (changed at 10.46pm) – ROMA
There are two small points from Napoli put back into sight by Inter, there are also two Nerazzurri starters left in battle (Calha and Acerbi), but by overcoming a disoriented Roma at the Olimpico and with little construction, Inter enjoys more than anything else a resounding 133: these are the goals from Lautaro, who with the winning right-footed shot becomes the best foreign scorer in the club’s history, together with a post-war monument like the Hungarian Nyers. Juric’s team would have even deserved a heavier score than the 0-1 experienced in a very strange climate: between protests in the stadium and scattered individual errors, the road seems uphill for the Croatian coach.
oh, damn
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Inter finds Barella in the second star’s midfield with Mkhitaryan and a bruised Calha at the start and, above all, immediately reconnects with ThuLa up front. Roma, weighed down by the South’s protest against the club (the curve only entered after 15′), recovers Dybala in the 3-4-2-1 which tries to refine Juric: on the flanks, on the left Zalewski leans more towards the attacking phase , with Celik ready to close behind as right back. Neither of the two, however, will ever be close to sufficient. The first conclusion as sharp as a cannon shot from Thuram commits Svilar and would make one think of a Nerazzurri deluge, but then Sommer’s hands get involved first and then Calha’s adductor to make it clear that it will be a strange evening: on a cross harmless in Roma’s first foray, the Swiss goalkeeper risks the omelette and slides the ball alone onto the post, a bit like Pagliuca in the ’94 World Cup final, and in the 12th minute the Turk immediately raises the white flag and already has to go out for a contracture of the adductor of the left thigh: evidently risking it was reckless, especially since Zielinski and Asllani are also missing in the middle. In this great midfield emergency, it is Barella who has to adapt to the playmaking duties, with the addition of Frattesi from the bench. Firm in his place, however, is the Armenian all-rounder, also quite hot as demonstrated by the crossbar that trembles on Svilar’s head after his right-footed shot.
the second out
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Since when it rains it often pours, here is the second injury of the day among Inzaghi’s boys: 15′ after Calha, in the 27th minute, Acerbi asks for a substitution from Simone due to a contracture in the flexors of his left thigh. De Vrij returns in his place and, in the meantime, the Nerazzurri have also played for the second substitution slot. In so much confusion, however, it is always Inter who keep the ball, without ever approaching the usual effectiveness also because that is not Barella’s real job. If Inzaghi’s nerves fail and he gets a hysterical yellow card, Juric’s maneuver often gets bogged down in the heart of the Koné-Critante midfield and, ultimately, remains too tied to Dybala’s vein. Yet, when the ball manages to reach Dovbyk vertically, something happens: the Ukrainian is very good at putting it down at the end of the first half, despite De Vrij on him, and from there comes Pellegrini’s curling shot rejected by Sommer, an opportunity most dangerous of the entire first half for the home team. The Nerazzurri, on the other hand, are complaining about a missed red card for Cristante for a foul on Thuram, also in light of yesterday’s championship precedents: the Frenchman would have gone through on goal like a bullet.
the goal
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A few mistakes from Koné at the beginning of the second half immediately convince Juric to make the first substitution: the Frenchman gives way to Pisilli, despite the fact that Cristante is in the middle with a yellow card on his back: this time the home boy is not lucid and spreads too many hints mistakes here and there. Inter broke the deadlock right at the first sign of the Giallorossi’s rise, all thanks to a couple of kind Roma tributes: Zalewski had the ball pickpocketed by Frattesi who was able to run across the open field towards the goal, but Celik managed to overcome him by mistake control and giving a perfect assist for Toro’s shot. While Lautaro rejoices in the section of Nerazzurri fans, all the solidarity goes to his compatriot Paulo, as generous as he is talented: he ran 40 meters backwards to stem the bleeding: Dybala ends up rolling over in despair after another stupidity from his Turkish teammate.
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the end
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Inter’s doubling was almost achieved by the Thuram-Dimarco tandem, while Roma’s reaction was more nervous than anything else, before the mix that came from the bench. If Inzaghi makes the last substitutions in one fell swoop, the last one left (outside Bastoni, Darmian and Lautaro for Bisseck, Dumfries and Correa), Juric launches Baldanzi for Zalewski, adjusting the formation: the former Empoli player positions himself together with Dybala ( then replaced in turn by Soulé) and Pellegrini in a trio on the trocar behind the striker. Thus unbalanced, the home team conceded too much to Inter’s counterattacks: Thuram lacked clarity on more than one occasion when it was time to deliver the final blow, while Svilar saved twice against Dumfries. And just a moment before the end, Sommer had to get his gloves dirty again on a left foot from Soulé: just enough to think of a draw.
