Inter-Fiorentina 0-1: goal from Bonaventura

It’s not a joke, not even an April Fool’s joke: Inter have lost ten games in the league. Ten out of twenty-eight, more than one every three matches: other than a Scudetto utopia nurtured up to a couple of months ago, this team is perilously crumpling within its limits and fears. Today’s ruinous fall against Fiorentina by Italiano, who deserves to dream big, is yet another indicator of a serious situation. It’s the worst possible start to a month in which the Nerazzurri are really at stake: the Italian Cup and the vertigo of the Champions League count, but here they risk dangerously fourth place. And while San Siro whistles at the end, the brave and lucky violas jump for joy: for them, the season finale can deservedly tend to the high classic.

THE START

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Inzaghi resurrects Correa, not the most loved player at San Siro, alongside a Lukaku revitalized by international goals, while Brozovic’s reconnection to the Nerazzurri project begins in the middle of the pitch: given Calhanoglu’s trouble, in view of Benfica it is urgent to find Croatian director of yesteryear. The Italian, on the other hand, makes a surprise choice for Castrovilli, leaving Amrabat and Barak on the bench, while Saponara emerges as owner from the left in the 4-2-3-1 (behind Cabral, Bonaventura in the center and Ikoné on the right complete the department). The first chance of the match in the 12th minute is in any case purple, with Castrovilli kicking diagonally from inside the area: the reactivity of Onana, a cat both in repelling and in slapping away after the rebound, immediately warms up the stadium once again packed. Applause, but not as much as Mkhitaryan snatches a few minutes later. The Armenian play is a slap to the passing of time: a percussion with two dribbles as if he were ten years younger than the 34 that weigh on his back. After stripping Saponara, he puts down Igor and, greedy, tries the shot rejected by Terracciano: all it took was a small pass for Lukaku to score with an empty net and send the play to the Viale della Liberazione cinema.

WHAT OCCASIONS

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In general, the first half tends towards orange, in the sense that Inter have good intensity and play the game, but sooner or later the ball always ends up on Dumfries’ wobbly feet. Physically he puts in the ex Biraghi, but the problem comes when setting up a cross, often even comfortable: the Dutchman alternates an interesting starting point with a mistake in finishing. Once, freed by a heel from Lukaku, he messed up when it came to putting in the center. And the next time, when he somehow manages to serve Romelu in the center of the area, it’s the Belgian who makes a serious mistake, not the only one in the match: he doesn’t shoot first and then complicates his life with his right foot. It’s another great opportunity in the first half for Inter and it shows how much is still missing to see the real Big Rom: the centre-forward came back alive in the fight, but in the sills and in the deep cues he is a distant relative of the player they remembered around here. Overall, in the first half Brozovic does not regret the injured Calha, while Barella is more imprecise than usual. Behind, on the other hand, the defense dances when the Viola break through with their quality: for example, a thrust by Saponara, who enters the area buffered by Darmian, is extremely dangerous. Then the carambola hits the feet of Ikoné who butts and graces the Nerazzurri. It would have been too much for the Italian’s first half, who suffers from outside and only occasionally manages to trigger quality in the middle and on the wings.

THE PICK

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The second half opened with a shiver running down the backs of the 73,000 at San Siro: a docile shot by Castrovilli went millimeters from the crossroads. Then, however, here is the key junction that makes the game tilt to one side. Everything happens in the 49th minute, when Lukaku devours yet another goal of his bad evening: after a nice overlap, Bastoni puts him in a low cross to push with the most elementary of tap-ins, but the Belgian inexplicably uses his left foot instead of the right and throw away the advantage. Punctual as death and taxes here is the purple punishment: taking advantage of a corner kick, Fiorentina punishes the wasteful nerazzurri. Onana plays instinctively on Cabral’s header, but Bonaventura is quick at the far post to give the advantage. The Italian number 5 is one of the keys to the match with his tireless work to stop Brozo and collects an unexpected prize for so much effort in an offensive raid.

POOR REACTION

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Faced with the freezing shower, Inter experienced at least one nervous reaction, sealed by the post that Barella made tremble with a rebound: the right-footed shot from outside was the most beautiful thing in his game tending towards grey. At this point Inzaghi can only use the bench to try to change the inertia: off Bastoni, Gosens and Correa; inside Bellanova, De Vrij and Lautaro. The world champion immediately asks for a penalty and in general tries to fight, but in the meantime the spaces in front of him shrink a little at a time: the Italian sends Sottil and Amrabat onto the field for Saponara and an excellent Castrovilli, then Ranieri and Barak instead of Mandragora and Ikoné. In general, with a narrow defense line of 5, the Viola coach tries to dirty all the Nerazzurri’s (rather predictable) passing lines. However, there would be a great opportunity for a draw and it has an unexpected fabrication: it comes from a cross that was finally nailed down by Dumfries which was deflected on goal by Bellanova’s incursion from the left, but Terracciano instinctively puts his foot down and saves. In the end, the cap of the match jumps definitively and, in desperation, Inzaghi prepares the maxi-trident with Dzeko together with Lu-La: lots of smoke and very little roast, like this Inter after all.