Inter Player Ratings vs Juventus: Dumfries & Acerbi Impress, Martinez Kept Quiet | OneFootball

Inter suffered a gut-wrenching 1-0 defeat in the 184th Serie A edition of the famous Derby d’Italia to arch-rivals Juventus. Simone Inzaghi’s side performed below expectations and, in doing so, they lost further ground on pacesetters Napoli.

After Napoli’s 2-2 draw at Lazio on Saturday, Inter knew a rare victory at the Allianz Arena would catapult them to the top of the standings. However, just one win from their last 11 league visits to Turin didn’t make for good reading before the kick-off.

Chances went back and forth in the opening 45 minutes. Mehdi Taremi wasted a glorious chance to put Inter in front in the 19th minute. Then, Yann Sommer had to make two massive saves to deny Juventus in less than a minute.

Denzel Dumfries came close to firing Inter 1-0 up on the stroke of halftime, but his close-range effort rattled off the right post. Inter’s misses backfired in the second half as Francisco Conceicao broke the deadlock with a ruthless finish.

Though Inter had plenty of time to fight back, Inzaghi’s charges couldn’t muster a single scoring chance for the rest of the game. Without further ado, let’s look at our player ratings.

Inter (3-5-2)

Yann Sommer – 6.5

The ever-reliable Swiss goalkeeper bailed his team out more than once but should’ve done better, even though Conceicao had him on the ropes.

Benjamin Pavard – 7

The Frenchman put in a solid defensive shift, showcasing his composure and ability to read the game. He was calm in possession and made several crucial interventions to keep the opposition at bay.

Francesco Acerbi – 7

A rock at the heart of Inter’s backline, Acerbi was dominant in aerial duels and positioned himself well throughout the match. His leadership and experience were evident as he marshaled the defense with authority.

Alessandro Bastoni – 6

Despite holding up his end of the bargain in the opening hour of play, the left-footed Italian had to come off as a precaution after struggling with minor fitness issues.

Denzel Dumfries – 7

Back after serving a one-game ban, the Dutch midfielder offered unparalleled energy on the right flank but should’ve scored late in the first half. Made a vital goal-line clearance in the second half!

Nicolo Barella – 6

Except for occasional lapses of concentration, the diminutive midfielder did his job up to a T, helping Inter dominate Juventus in terms of control and possession.

Hakan Calhanoglu – 6.5

Recent injury setbacks didn’t influence the Turk’s performance tonight as he orchestrated Inter’s play with pinpoint precision from deep in the midfield.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 6

The veteran took a risk-free approach, often choosing the simplest solution without trying to produce a spark in the front third.

Federico Dimarco – 6

Unlucky not to score in the first half after latching onto a rebound, only to see his goal-bound shot blocked by the Juventus backline. However, well below his high standard tonight!

Mehdi Taremi – 5.5

Bereft of confidence amid a dreadful campaign, he missed a sitter to put Inter 1-0 and blew several half-chances as his every move brimmed with indecisiveness.

Lautaro Martinez – 5

The Inter talisman didn’t have a chance to score but fought valiantly for every ball and kept Juventus’ backline on their toes all game.

Substitutes

Nicola Zalewski – 6.5

Marcus Thuram – 6