Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella and wingback Denzel Dumfries will both get a rest in tomorrow afternoon’s Serie A match away to Empoli.
This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who also report that Matteo Darmian will start on the right in place of Dumfries.
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi is starting to make significant rotations to his matchday squad after going with the same starting eleven over the first few matches.
The fixture list is heating up for the Nerazzurri with Champions League football. And Inzaghi naturally will have to manage his forces.
Both of Barella and Dumfries have started every one of Inter’s matches so far this season.
The pair have been in the lineup for each of the first four Serie A matches. And they also kept their places against Real Sociedad in the Champions League, seeing out the ninety minutes.
Therefore, the Corriere reports, neither will start against Empoli tomorrow.
Frattesi To Replace Barella For Inter Vs Empoli – Darmian To Take Dumfries’s Place
Replacing Barella on the right of Inter’s midfield trio will be former Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi.
It will be a like-for-like swap of two Italian internationals and box-to-box midfielders.
Frattesi will be receiving his first ever start for Inter.
Meanwhile, on the right flank, the absence of Juan Cuadrado through injury means that Darmian will start in place of Dumfries.
The 33-year-old former Manchester United and Torino veterans has started each one of Inter’s four Serie A matches so far. He did so at centre-back, however.
Since the second half of last season, the spot on the right of the Nerazzurri’s back three has been Darmian’s primary position.
But now with Benjamin Pavard in the team, the Frenchman will play in that role.
Pavard started against La Real on Wednesday. He will keep his place against Empoli tomorrow.
But Darmian will still play, having not featured against La Real. The 33-year-old will play in the right-wingback position.