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October 20, 2024
Credit to Italian Serie A Image Gallery
Simone Inzaghi has expressed concern over Inter’s growing injury crisis following their 1-0 win away to Roma, but remains confident in Lautaro Martinez’s potential, stating that the striker “will be in the top five for the Ballon d’Or.”
The Nerazzurri faced a challenging situation as they arrived for the match already shorthanded, having to make the trip without two significant contributors, Piotr Zielinski and Kristjan Asllani. Both players play crucial roles in the team’s dynamics, and their absence was keenly felt. Unfortunately, the team’s injury woes escalated when Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi were forced to leave the pitch within the first 30 minutes due to muscle injuries. These early departures not only depleted the squad further but also added to the tactical challenges faced by head coach Simone Inzaghi, who had to quickly adjust his strategy to compensate for the missing personnel.
Despite the numerous setbacks and a growing sense of adversity, Inter displayed remarkable resilience and determination throughout the match. They fought hard and managed to secure all three points, which was crucial for their standing in the league. The pivotal moment of the game arrived when Lautaro Martinez took advantage of a counter-attack that was initiated by a corner kick from Roma. His swift response and clinical finish ultimately sealed the victory for Inter, highlighting his ability to perform under pressure and further solidifying his reputation as a key player for the team.
“Clearly, we had a few problems in midfield, as Asllani and Zielinski were already out,” explained Inzaghi on DAZN.
“Calhanoglu wasn’t in great shape over the last two days, so with the other two available I would’ve rested him this evening. He is generous and tried to put in the effort, but he felt the adductor pain and stopped before it got worse.”
It was observed that Inter has recorded more clean sheets against their bigger rivals than against the less formidable teams.
“That is true, it suggest there is an issue of concentration. Roma are a strong team with quality, so the lads did really well. The first half was balanced, in the second we had two or three opportunities to double our lead and should’ve killed off the game.
“The Olimpico is a tough place to play, so I am very pleased with the performance. Our results at home have been good, but away we have dropped points with draws against Monza and Genoa, so we knew it was important to end that. It was not an easy thing to win here.
Roma are a solid side with a lot of good players coming off the bench, so the fact we had to use up two slots was a real problem.”
Credit to Italian Serie A Image Gallery
Lautaro Martinez scored his 133rd goal while wearing the Inter jersey, matching the all-time club record for a foreign player previously held by Istvan Nyers from the 1950s.
Inzaghi was queried about what additional accomplishments the Copa America winner needs to achieve in order to secure the Ballon d’Or.
“He just has to keep doing what he has done with Inter and Argentina. I think he is one of the five best players in the world. He deserves all of this success, I think he’s going to be in the top five for the Ballon d’Or,” replied the coach.
The recipient of the Player of the Year award will be revealed in Paris on Monday evening.
This victory marks Inter’s fourth consecutive win across all competitions, enabling them to stay close to Serie A leaders Napoli.
Prior to the match, Inter President Beppe Marotta expressed his concerns about the congested fixture schedule, a sentiment that was underscored when Inzaghi momentarily lost track of his upcoming match.
The next challenge for Inter will be on Wednesday against Young Boys in Switzerland, as they continue their Champions League campaign.
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