Italian Journalist Mario Sconcerti: “Inter Coach Simone Inzaghi Should Pay Special Attention To Juan Cuadrado Against Juventus”

Italian journalist Mario Sconcerti believes that Juventus fullback Juan Cuadrado is a player who Inter will have to be especially wary of in tomorrow evening’s Serie A clash.

Writing in his column in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, Sconcerti named the Colombian as a key man for the Bianconeri whose influence Nerazzurri coach Simone Inzaghi must plan to stop.

Cuadrado has grown into an important player over his tenure with the Bianconeri, moving further back on the right-hand side of the pitch so that he now normally plays as a right-back although he still plays further forward in midfield at times.

The 33-year-old is experienced, tactically versatile, and when he plays usually a key creative outlet for the Bianconeri, with his passing range and deliveries in the final third not something any of his teammates can really replicate.

Sconcerti believes that one of the tactical keys to the match will be whether or not Inter can restrict Cuadrado’s influence for Juventus, who he feels is similar to Nicolo Barella for the Nerazzurri.

“Barella is a strange footballer, hard to understand, he never repeats himself,” he writes. “He’s not a pure playmaker, but he has moments of inspiration, he has the quality that creates disorder in opponents because it’s unexpected.”

“Juve don’t have a player of this eccentricity,” he goes on, “they have many players of quality, but not who can make the difference in this way.”

“The man for today, the Juve version of Barella, thus becomes Cuadrado,” he continued, “now the most internationally experienced player at Juve, the only one who knows how to run and dictate the game, put a ball in where it’s needed.”

“Juve have an advantage in quality,” he adds, “they have a lot of that on the bench too.”

Sconcerti predicts that “On a good day Inter have a total control of the pitch, more organized and intense than Juve, almost able to create favourable individual duels.”

“However, if I were Inzaghi, I would pay particular attention to the marking of Cuadrado,” he advises.