Former Inter midfielder Borja Valero believes that the Nerazzurri did everything but win the match in a frenetic ending to this evening’s 2-2 draw against Atalanta at the San Siro.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster DAZN after the match, the 36-year-old praised the Nerazzurri’s efforts in a match which saw them both lead and trail before they eventually shared the points with La Dei following a back-and-forth encounter.
Inter started the evening off well and caught Gian Piero Gasperini’s men out with an early goal before they were deservedly pegged back.
As the first half wore on, La Dei looked the more incisive side and deservedly went a goal ahead, setting Simone Inzaghi’s team the task of overturning a deficit for the second Serie A match in a row.
Inter were up to the task of equalizing, but they were not quite able to win the match, though Valero believes that his former team did enough that a winner would have been warranted.
“They both wanted to win, there were good periods for both,” he said of the two teams.
On Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic he said, “He could have done more, but it is not easy to take certain shots with the shooters that Atalanta has, it is not easy to hold onto certain balls.”
“I was surprised by Dimarco who took the penalty,” he went on, “he took it with such confidence. He made a mistake but showed great courage in taking responsibility in a match like this. He had courage.”
“Inter played an incredible 25 minutes. In the end, I think Inter played well enough to turn around the game and didn’t quite go all the way,” he said.
Of midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, he said that “The impact he had in the first game was very strong and therefore after that impact it is normal that people always expect a certain type of performance.”
“Obviously it is not easy to always have the same pace and style of play,” he concluded. “Perhaps there are high expectations but he is a great player and he will return to show us the things he has shown us in the past.”