A change in formation and approach by Inter coach Antonio Conte has been the decisive factor in the Nerazzurri closing in on the Scudetto, according to Italian journalist Luigi Garlando.

Inter sit 11 points clear at the top of the Serie A table with just eight games remaining and are a maximum of 13 points away from the title, as they prepare to face Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona this evening.

Writing in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Garlando pointed to a defence that has been significantly bolstered since the start of the season and is conceding far fewer goals now, with wins coming by single-goal margins.

“Conte has no problems. He never had. Concentration and fierce determination are the secrets behind the leaders who have won their last 11 games, but especially the last six that they have won by a single goal,” Garlando claimed.

“Inter just need a penny to feel rich because they can trust their defence as a bank. In the first 11 matches of the first half of the season, the Nerazzurri conceded 15 goals. In the first 11 of the second half, they’ve let in four. It is a big jump.

“This is also the great work of the coach. Fiorentina scoring three in September, with [Franck] Ribery causing havoc against an unbalanced team is a distant memory.”

Garlando suggested that Conte changed his approach from the start of the campaign in two stages, leading to the Nerazzurri going on an 11-match winning streak.

“The balance came in two stages. Firstly, Conte dropped his attacking midfielder in [Christian] Eriksen (3-4-1-2) and returned to his comfort zone of 3-5-2.

“Secondly, after providing greater protection to [Samir] Handanovic, he increased the creativity by using Eriksen in the left central midfield role and [Ivan] Perisic on the wing. It was the turning point for the Scudetto.

“[Romelu] Lukaku and Lautaro [Martinez] also benefited from Conte’s masterpiece and the coach was also instrumental in dealing with the problems behind the scenes at the club and preventing them from affecting the dressing room.”

Inter face a difficult challenge against a Napoli side that have won four of their last five league games and are battling for Champions League qualification, and Garlando expected Gennaro Gattuso’s side to go for victory.

Let’s see tonight at Diego Maradona. Gattuso will not want to leave space for Lukaku, but he needs the three points more. With a margin of 11 points, Conte can manage the game but with a win he would close the curtain on the title race.”