Inter Milan’s defensive record at the start of the 2023-24 season is a “night and day” difference compared to last time around.
Today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNews, note how the Nerazzurri’s defense has gone from a weakness at the beginning of last campaign to perhaps the team’s most notable strength across the first few matches of this one.
In all of Europe’s top five leagues, Inter have been the team to start the season conceding the fewest goals.
Across five matches so far, the Nerazzurri have conceded just a solitary goal. That came in the derby against AC Milan.
Otherwise, it has been four clean sheets for goalkeeper Yann Sommer in his first five Serie A matches.
And the Swiss international has played his part, undoubtedly. Sommer has made some excellent saves along the way to go without conceding.
But it has hardly been down purely to goalkeeping heroics by the former Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach veteran.
On the contrary, Inter’s defensive organization as a team has served them well.
Inter Milan Tighten Up Significantly At The Back To Start 2023-24 Season
In the first five matches of the 2022-23 season, Inter conceded a whopping eight goals.
Six of these came in losses against the likes of Milan and Lazio.
Inter’s problem at that point was that they could not find the right balance between defense and attack.
The Nerazzurri would find themselves vulnerable in the channels particularly whenever they lost the ball.
Therefore, teams with pace and quality in those areas had little trouble punishing Inter.
This time around, the Nerazzurri have had far more coverage in the most dangerous areas of the pitch.
The midfielders, wingbacks, and wide defenders have managed to double up effectively in the channels.
From veterans like Matteo Darmian and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to summer arrivals like Benjamin Pavard and Davide Frattesi, everyone has known their role.
And the result has been a defensive record that has been close to perfection.
