The physical condition of a number of Inter players is far from certain ahead of Sunday’s Serie A match against Juventus, as much of the squad has been left “exhausted” by their efforts in Porto on Tuesday.
This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who report that Matteo Darmian could be given a rest if Milan Skriniar is fit to start, whilst Federico Dimarco will start given that Robin Gosens is out injured.
Whilst Inter got what they came for on their trip to Portugal, seeing out a goalless draw at the Estadio do Dragao to book their place in the Champions League quarterfinals, it did not come without a toll.
Alessandro Bastoni is set to miss this weekend’s match against Juventus after picking up an injury in Porto, but he is far from the only Inter player who suffered the physical effects of Tuesday’s gruelling match.
All of Francesco Acerbi, Nicolo Barella, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Lautaro Martinez are among those who were run into the ground, and Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will have to factor their fatigue into his selection decisions against the Bianconeri.
One of the most concrete possibilities for a player to be rested would be Darmian, who put in a particularly intense shift at the do Dragao.
For the 33-year-old to be given a night off on Sunday, however, Skriniar would have to be fit enough to start on the right of the back three, having only returned to the squad from a back injury on Tuesday.
Moreover, Darmian could also be called into action as the replacement for Bastoni on the left of the back three, depending on the condition of a number of other players in the squad.
On the left flank, meanwhile, the fact that Gosens will be out injured means that there will be little option but for Dimarco to start despite the effects of the match against Porto.
