Inter Milan still too dependent on their star players
With such a crowded schedule, squad rotation becomes vital Cristian Chivu knows it well after his experiment against Verona
With such a crowded schedule, squad rotation becomes vital Cristian Chivu knows it well after his experiment against Verona
The gap is still too wide between Inter Milan’s starters and those considered good squad players.
With such a packed schedule, rotation becomes essential. Cristian Chivu knows this well — against Verona he chose to start without several key players.
But with the game stuck at 1–1, the Inter Milan coach had to make changes and call upon Barella, Dumfries, and Dimarco from the bench.
“Can Inter Milan really afford to rest its top starters? The away match in Verona gave a clear answer: no. Or at least, not too often,” wrote La Gazzetta dello Sport via Fcinter1908.
“Because the difference between Inter Milan's key protagonists and those considered solid backups is still too large.
It’s true that the team faces an endless series of matches, and to keep competing on all fronts every member of the squad is needed.
But the difference in quality between Luis Henrique and Dumfries is huge — just as it is between Bonny (whose contribution so far has still been respectable) and Thuram, or between Carlos Augusto and Dimarco, just to name a few,” the paper continued.
The confirmation came at the Bentegodi, precisely at the start of the second half, when Inter Milan was clearly struggling against Verona’s high intensity.
When Inter Milan’s stars return, the difference is crystal clear
In the first 20 minutes after the restart, Chivu sent on Dumfries, Barella, and Pio Esposito all at once — and shortly after, Dimarco too. Not two or three, but four major hints.
The new signing most in trouble is certainly the Brazilian former Marseille player. Few sparks, few ideas, light in defensive work, and practically absent in attack — far from the contribution provided by Inter Milan’s natural starter, Dumfries.
However, this issue extends to most of the latest arrivals. Not yet a full-blown problem, more of a matter to monitor — one that Chivu keeps working on.