Probable Euro-debut for the right central defender, with Darmian advanced. The three combined for just 311 minutes in the Champions League
– Salzburg (Austria)
Partly out of necessity and much by choice, Simone Inzaghi is completing his small revolution of thought: the Inter coach no longer thinks about 11 very starting players engraved in stone, but happily draws from a wider deck. He decided to give a deep shake-up even in a decisive match for the European path. If this can happen, it is because the confidence in the depth of the squad has grown in Appiano, training after training. And so this injection of green petrol on Austrian soil is not surprising: if up front to let Lautaro catch his breath, the Nerazzurri coach can only focus on Sanchez’s conservatism, it is in midfield, in defense and on the flanks that the choices are more “progressive”. Courageous, but rational. In one fell swoop three players who together add up just 311′ in the Champions League: to the 186′ of Carlos Augusto, who is enjoying it given that he has reached his third appearance since the start in the Cup, are added the 125 of Davide Frattesi, decisive in the first leg against Salzburg in both goals. The third entry, the surprise of the day, is instead a 22-year-old with great hopes who has never had citizenship in these places: Yann Bisseck, a young German trained in the summer, could make his absolute debut in the Champions League and from the start in a black and blue shirt.
New arm
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The sudden landslide to the right led Inzaghi to seriously think about launching the debutant and never mind if Bisseck has so far been “admired” only for the misery of 8 minutes between Monza and Turin. He seemed destined to remain a faded extra, rumors even began to circulate of a dry loan in January, then here is a chain of events that risk changing the season of the former German U21 captain: after the delay in Cuadrado’s recovery and the collapse from Pavard, there was also a bit of overtiredness from Dumfries, who did not participate in much of the pre-departure training yesterday. This consequently leads to Darmian’s advancement into the fifth role on the midfielder line and a hole in the right-hander role. To fill it, here is the Bisseck idea, although as an alternative there is always De Vrij, a more “expert” solution. That position, however, is the favorite of the good Yann, simply defined as “growing” by Inzaghi. In reality, in Appiano he is a sponge and he never fears conflicts with Thuram and Lautaro: he waited a long time, but the prize seems to have arrived.
On the launch pad
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In a more tangled formation than usual, two 24-year-olds on the starting line, Frattesi and Carlos Augusto, are instead more sure of a place in the warmth. The return of the Italian from the first minute was announced directly by Inzaghi in the conference: a touch of solemnity but also a way to make those who are champing at the back of the starting midfielders responsible. In the match on the eve of the match, Barella was among the reserves to make room for him, but Inzaghi gave no certainties on this issue: «I’m evaluating who to rest because Mkhitaryan and Barella are well and I also have Asllani…». The Brazilian left winger, however, will continue his relay with Dimarco, who was squeezed a lot both against Roma and Atalanta. For a while Inzaghi also reflected on the idea of moving Carlos Augusto to the right, with his foot reversed, in the lands of Dumfries. And in a lineup in which both captain Lautaro and vice-captain Barella risk being out, the further surprise risks being right in the flank: it could be wrapped around the arm of Bastoni, another 24 year old but with veteran experience. Among other things, the left-footed Italian needs to be forgiven for his slip-up in his last European away match: in San Sebastian, an error on his part led to the Basque goal which could have complicated the Champions League.
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