Inter Milan’s strikers have hit their driest patch of the season, but it’s been the defenders who have stepped up in front of goal.
This is highlighted in today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews.
For much of this season, two players have powered Inter’s attack.
Captain Lautaro Martinez and France international Marcus Thuram have been a force in front of goal.
The captain has scored 23 goals on his own for Inter. And then Thuram has scored an additional ten, whilst also chipping in with seven assists.
But over the last few matches, that form has come to a halt.
Neither Martinez nor Thuram have found the back of the net for more than a month.
For the captain, the last match in which he got on the scoresheet was against Atalanta in April.
Meanwhile, Thuram last scored for Inter in a match against Salernitana on February 16th.
The sense is that there is a bit of fatigue setting in for Inter’s strikers. This is perhaps not surprising at this stage of a season in which both have played an enormous amount for club and country.
Strikers’ Powder Dry For Inter – But Defenders Pick Up The Slack
However, Inter have still found routes to goal without Martinez and Thuram being at their clinical best.
And as Tuttosport highlights, it has been the defenders who have really shown their edge in this respect.
It was wingback Federico Dimarco who scored Inter’s opener against Empoli on Monday.
The 26-year-old had only just scored in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid last month.
And now, Dimarco can say that he’s scored twice since either of Inter’s star strikers found the back of the net.
Meanwhile, Yann Bisseck and Matteo Darmian scored against Bologna and Napoli respectively.
Dimarco has now scored five goals for Inter in Serie A after his strike against Empoli.
Meanwhile, Bisseck, Darmian, and Francesco Acerbi have done so twice.
Dutch international Denzel Dumfries has scored three goals for Inter so far this season. And in the case of his countryman Stefan de Vrij, that number is one.
