Inter Milan suffered their first defeat in pre-season, as Al-Ittihad prevailed in last night’s friendly at the U-Power Stadium in Monza.
With the vast majority of the senior players back at the coach’s disposal, Simone Inzaghi fielded a relatively strong starting lineup.
However, the Saudi Pro League side proved superior. Karim Benzema and Co registered a 2-0 win courtesy of Moussa Diaby.
But while the French winger made a strong first impression following his move from Aston Villa, the Nerazzurri stars were less effective.
Tuttosport (via FcInterNews) criticized the performances of the team in general. The source identified six players who produced under-par displays, beginning with Alessandro Bastoni.
The Turin-based newspaper felt that the Italian defender’s mind was still on the summer vacation. The Atalanta youth product was pinpointed as the main culprit on the first goal, committing a blunder that allowed Diaby to break the deadlock.
Moreover, Bastoni’s partner at the back Francesco Acerbi also had a lousy outing. The veteran defender couldn’t cope with Diaby’s pace.
Bastoni, Acerbi & Other Inter Milan Stars Struggle In Al-Ittihad Test
In addition to the two defenders, the Italian block also had a night to forget in the middle of the park.
As the source notes, Davide Frattesi couldn’t produce anything dangerous throughout the match. For his part, Nicolo Barella’s wasn’t as neat as usual, failing to deliver on his high standards.
In the attack, Marcus Thuram seemed out of shape and thus wasn’t able to inflict damage.
Finally, Joaquin Correa was also ineffective. The Argentine even received jeering whistles from a section of Inter supporters.
The former Lazio star is considered surplus to requirements, but the management is struggling to find a new buyer.
Hence, he has been a regular starter in the club’s pre-season tests, pouncing on the lack of options upfront.
