Yesterday evening, Inter Milan passed a new major test with a trip to Naples, the reigning champion certainly not in the form of his life this season. The result was once again relentless with a 3-0 which gave Aurelio de Laurentiis a cold sweat. The Neapolitan president attacked the refereeing rather than his coach for once, since he has just recently appointed Walter Mazzari. The meeting, very well made, allowed us to see the solidity of Simone Inzaghi’s training.
It confirms everything it showed last season, and we can no longer speak of a surprise now regarding the last finalist of the Champions League. Here they are at the top of Serie A, with only one defeat on the clock, prestigious successes against AC Milan, Roma, Naples, the best attack and the best defense in the championship. Better still, it has the best away record of all the clubs in the major European championships, with 6 victories and only 2 goals conceded away from home. Impressive.
All the lights are green
The recipe seems simple, in the Italian coach’s 3-5-2. A solid defense, with a goalkeeper in a state of grace. It was Onana last season, today it’s Yann Sommer, who is working miracles (again superb saves against Naples). The pistons Dumfries and Dimarco have never seemed so strong, the middle trio Barella-Çalhanoglu-Mkhitaryan finds themselves with their eyes closed, and the duo Lautaro-Thuram combines perfectly. Add to that some successful replacements, like Frattesi and more recently Alexis Sanchez, and you have a complete team.
The lack of alternatives on the bench was however one of the designated weak points, since the only defeat, against Sassuolo, had been conceded with several starters left to rest. But the Champions League match against Benfica, with a 0-3 up to 3-3, proved that the substitutes also had character. For the entire Italian press, Inter are the huge favorites in the title race. “The New Monsters”also evokes the Corriere dello Sportwhile legend Arrigo Sacchi said he was under the spell of Inter, who are now even starting to press high.
Only Juventus Turin, without a European Cup to play this season, seems to be keeping pace, even if they impress less by winning small or by snatches. In the Champions League, Inter has already qualified for the round of 16 and will play for first place in its group at home against Real Sociedad. Enough to look forward to the future with peace of mind.
