The absences of key players like Benjamin Pavard and Alessandro Bastoni have not caused Inter Milan’s defense to lose too much solidity.
This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, via FCInterNews.
On paper, Inter’s defense is in the midst of a virtual injury crisis.
For one thing, former Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard is still out with an injury.
It will be weeks before the Frenchman can come back still.
And then on the other side of the back three, Alessandro Bastoni will miss at least a couple of matches with a thigh problem. Crucially, this evening’s Serie A clash with Juventus is among them.
Therefore, two of the on-paper starters are out of the picture.
That puts a lot of pressure on the “backup” players to prove their worth.
But in the view of the Corriere della Sera, there isn’t much doubt about the players who remain in terms of their ability to rise to the occasion.
“No Pavard, No Bastoni, No Problem” For Inter
This defensive solidity comes down to three players.
Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi, and Stefan de Vrij should be the back three for Inter this evening against Juventus.
All three have been regulars for Inter since the start of last season.
And whilst none of the trio are quite the glamorous names that Pavard or Bastoni are, that’s little matter for the Nerazzurri.
Darmian, Acerbi, and de Vrij have all slotted in well.
Moreover, the versatility of players like Darmian and Acerbi has proven crucial.
For de Vrij, the Dutchman has shown that he can more than do a job on the right of the defensive line. But his best position is in the centre.
On the other hand, Acerbi and Darmian have more genuine versatility.
This has meant that even without two key starters, Inter’s defense should still have not just a good amount of quality, but also, crucially, a real balance to it.
