Inter came into the Palermo clash winners of seven consecutive matches in all competitions, including five straight in Serie A. The Nerazzurri had scored at least three goals in three of their previous four matches and their sizzling form had caught the attention of the Calcio world, especially the pundits who had previously written the Beneamata off.
Are Inter for real? Can the Nerazzurri qualify for the Champions League? Has the Suning Group stabilized the club? Perhaps the most pressing question was: can Inter do it on a cold, wet night in Sicily?
For 65 minutes the answer was no, as the Nerazzurri wasted numerous chances with Mauro Icardi surprisingly guilty of blowing the most glaring opportunity in the second half.
Heads would have dropped and emotions would have run high in previous Inter squads but Pioli’s men dug deep and found the winner courtesy of Joao Mario, who came off the bench to help the Nerazzurri extend their Serie A winning streak to six games.
By beating Palermo in Sicily for the first time in six years without any major contributions from Icardi and Ivan Perisic – who were not at their best – while dealing with inclement weather and a late expulsion by clumsy fullback Cristian Ansaldi represents a major step forward for the Nerazzurri.
Let’s hope that the Inter Express keeps zipping along towards a Champions League berth. Here’s what we learned from Inter’s 1-0 victory over Palermo:
Suning’s signings shining bright
After years of frustrating misses in the mercato Inter finally hit the bullseye in the summer and followed it up with another direct hit in January. The additions of Antonio Candreva, Joao Mario and Roberto Gagliardini have paid handsome dividends for the Nerazzurri, especially in the last three weeks with the trio playing a starring role.
We like to moan about Candreva’s crossing accuracy but he has delivered two splendid assists in as many Serie A games while scoring the winner in the Copa Italia victory against Bologna.
Joao Mario has continued where he left off in Portugal with Sporting and is already an indispensable member of the squad with his smooth midfield play and composure on the ball. The 24-year-old came off the bench to score the only goal of the game in Sicily and his best is yet to come.
Gagliardini has done everything except score since joining Inter in January and you can already see the intelligent visionary that lies within, and the good news is he’s just going to get better.
Pioli keeps picking winners
How sweet it must have been for Pioli, who was unceremoniously sacked by Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini after just two competitive games, to go back to the Renzo Barbera and notch a victory.
Inter has scored six goals over their last three Serie A matches, with five coming in the second half and much of the credit belongs to Pioli, who has made the proper adjustments and substitutions that have tilted the balance in the Nerazzurri’s favour.
Inter have accumulated 25 points since Pioli took charge on Nov. 8 – the most of any team during the 10-game span – and has quickly earned the respect of his players, which was not the case under previous boss Frank de Boer.
“The coach has changed a few players around and ensures we’re always on our toes,” Joao Mario said, according to Mediaset. “He knows the Serie A well and has helped the team tactically.”
Champions League within reach
The Champions League was all but a dream after Inter’s disastrous start but they have weathered the storm and are just five points from third spot with loads of football left to play.
With the Suning Group ready to splash the cash in the summer, a berth in the Champions League would provide Inter with another selling point when convincing their transfer targets to call San Siro home.
The Nerazzurri should brush Pescara aside on Saturday to finish the month of January with an unblemished record but the real test awaits in February when they tangle with Juventus and Roma. Those two games will go a long way in determining Inter’s Champions League fate.
