Italian Journalist Paolo Condo: “Five Substitutions Rule Benefits Big Teams Like Inter Against Smaller Teams” | OneFootball

Italian journalist Paolo Condo believes that the rule to allow teams to make five substitutions rather than three benefits bigger teams with stronger squads like Inter.

Writing in his column in today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica, Condo outlined how the Nerazzurri’s win over Lecce, as well as Fiorentina’s over Cremonese, highlighted how being able to call on more of their squads can be an advantage to the strongest teams in Serie A.

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi used all five of his available substitutions on Saturday, as fans have become used to after the coach did so in the vast majority of games last season.

The Nerazzurri coach clearly feels that it is helpful to get contributions out of as many of his players he can, both from the start and from the bench, and on Saturday it was a substitute who made the difference in the form of match-winner Denzel Dumfries, whilst the changes also allowed the coach to switch up the gameplan to push for the winner.

Condo writes that “It’s important to remember that football with five substitutions is very different than that with three substitutions. Inzaghi was able to play five international players, whilst Lecce could only respond with prospects.”

“In football with five substitutions, the resistance of smaller teams is even more difficult than in the past,” he argues, “and this is the reason why the big teams cannot afford the slightest slip-ups – if you always win against the smaller teams, then the direct clashes are even more important.”