Inter Milan Stars “Shadows Of Themselves” As Italy Slump Out Of EURO 2024 Vs Switzerland | OneFootball

Inter Milan trio Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolo Barella, and Matteo Darmian were all “shadows of themselves” for Italy against Switzerland.

This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews. None of the three escape very low marks in the player ratings for the match.

Going into EURO 2024, Italy coach Luciano Spalletti was open about his intention to build his Azzurri team around a “block” of players from the Inter side that had just won the Serie A title.

Therefore, it was no surprise to see several Nerazzurri players in Italy’s starting eleven in every match at the tournament.

In the group stage, there were ups and downs for Italy.

In the end, the Azzurri just about scraped through to the knockout rounds. They did so after a last-minute equalizer against Croatia in their last match of the group.

But there were warning signings throughout the group stage campaign. From an early goal conceded against Albania to a defeat against Spain where Italy were thoroughly second-best.

And Inter players had their share of responsibility for the Azzurri’s failings, just as much as they were at the heart of the positives.

And so it proved in Italy’s disastrous evening against Switzerland yesterday as well.

Bastoni, Barella & Darmian “Shadows Of Themselves” Vs Switzerland

Defender Alessandro Bastoni had marshalled Italy’s defense well throughout the group stage.

But in a chopped-and-changed Azzurri backline yesterday, the 25-year-old Inter defender was unable to prevent the defense from coming apart.

The Gazzetta give Bastoni a score of 4.5/10 in the player ratings for the round of sixteen clash.

It’s even worse for Bastoni’s club teammate Nicolo Barella.

The former Cagliari man receives a score of just 4/10 for a performance where he had little influence on proceedings – far from the kind of dynamic presence he is for Inter.

And that’s also the same score that Matteo Darmian received.

The 34-year-old Inter defender was pushed back by Switzerland winger Dan Ndoye, and did little to stop the Bologna player.