Inter midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been praised for his individual battle against Juventus counterpart Fabio Miretti in yesterday evening’s Coppa Italia semifinal second leg match.
Today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport gave the 34-year-old Armenian international a score of 7.5/10 for his display in the player ratings for the match, via FCInterNews, highlighting his success in getting the better of Miretti in particular time and time again.
Mkhitaryan and Miretti found themselves matched up against one another time and time again due to the formations that their respective teams played yesterday evening.
It was a real battle of experience versus youth, with the Inter player a veteran who’s starred for Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, and Arsenal before planting his flag in Serie A with three good seasons at Roma.
Miretti, by contrast, has only broken into the Juventus first team this season, with coach Max Allegri entrusting the 19-year-old with plenty of playing time.
Whilst the Bianconeri midfielder has repaid his coach’s faith on many occasions this season as he’s shown great technical ability and creativity as well as an understanding of the game which exceeds his age, he looked a little out of his depth against Mkhitaryan, Tuttosport argues.
The former Arsenal and Dortmund man seemed to be first to every 50/50 ball, showing greater composure and technical ability as well as more grit to edge out the Juventus man time and time again.
This played a vital role in Inter’s collective superiority in the midfield battle, with the ex-Giallorossi midfielder proving yet again that he knows just how to be the glue in a midfield trio with Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu, effortlessly setting the tempo.
Barella and Calhanoglu both received 7/10 scores, as did Federico Dimarco, whilst Tuttosport also awarded Denzel Dumfries with a 6.5/10 grade for always posing a threat in behind now the Nerazzurri’s right flank.
