Italian journalist Paolo Condo believes that Inter’s draw against Atalanta was an important result in the context of their chase for a second consecutive Scudetto.
Writing in his editorial in today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica, Condo emphasized that the point in a difficult away match was a good result to take the team closer to the Serie A title.
Inter faced a top four rival in the form of Atalanta, dreaming of a win that would take them eleven points clear of their opponents but also knowing that a loss would see the Bergamo side reduce the gap to five points.
In the end, a hard-fought match saw the two teams share the points, with the Nerazzurri maintaining the eight-point gap on their opponents on the night while giving AC Milan and Napoli to gain some ground.
The result ended an eight-match winning run in Serie A and didn’t allow the Nerazzurri to really start running away at the top of the table, but it was nevertheless a useful point.
“In comparison to the dominance that they have usually shown this season, Inter were pushed for large parts of an hour by Atalanta’s intensity, and they had to hold out and respond, which they did with authority,” Condo writes.”
“In the final half hour they took more control, thanks in part to their quality substitutions – even more so because of the limited options that their opponents had on their bench,” he goes on.
He continues that “Inzaghi’s intensity on the touchline showed that they could taste the prospect of success, but they were wasteful with their chances, while Atalanta saw their best chances saved by a brilliant Handanovic in the period when Inter looked to have been on top.”
“The draw is a good result for them,” he concludes, “and it represents a step forward over a tough hurdle by Inzaghi, who will also face Milan and Napoli between now and the Champions League.”
“A lot will be decided during January and February,” Condo states of the Nerazzurri’s season.
