Simone Inzaghi wants a proper response from the Inter Milan defense in this afternoon’s preseason friendly against Chelsea.
Today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews, report that the defense will be the coach’s main focus in the final friendly match of the Nerazzurri’s preseason.
Inter have played five friendly matches so far in preseason.
There have been plenty of positives from these, but also negatives.
And perhaps the biggest issue from the Nerazzurri’s perspective has been the goals that they have conceded.
Inter managed to keep a clean sheet in just one of the friendlies so far. That was against La Liga side Las Palmas.
Otherwise, there has been a consistent theme of inattention and sloppiness at the back of the back from Inter’s defenders, both individually and in terms of the team as a whole.
That is a far cry from Inter’s formidable clean sheet record last season.
Naturally, preseason is always a different situation from the real competitive action.
But Inzaghi knows that with the Serie A campaign less than a week away, he needs signs of real improvement. He wants the team that faces Chelsea to look like the team that will face Genoa next weekend.
Inzaghi Focusing On Inter Defense In Friendly Vs Chelsea
This afternoon’s friendly against Chelsea represents one final opportunity for Inter to test out both their physical condition and tactical form without too much pressure to get a result.
One of the most notable names in the Nerazzurri lineup at Stamford Bridge is likely to be that of Benjamin Pavard.
The Frenchman was a relatively late returnee to training. This was due to reaching the semifinal of EURO 2024 with France.
Therefore, Pavard hasn’t exactly played a big role in Inter’s preseason thus far.
But once the regular season action begins, Inzaghi will want the 29-year-old former Bayern Munich man to be right at the heart of Inter’s defensive solidity.
Pavard’s pace and man-marking ability made him a tough defensive presence on the right of Inter’s back three last season.
And this afternoon against Chelsea, Inzaghi will expect evidence that Pavard is ready to provide those same qualities once again.
And apart from the Frenchman, Inzaghi will want clear signs of improvement from the team as a whole in the defensive phase.
The Inter coach wants to see a team that keeps compact and organized against an opponent who are, on paper, their toughest of preseason.
The Nerazzurri have just a handful of days in which to tighten up their defensive structure. Then the season starts.
If there aren’t clear signs that the team is doing just that against Chelsea, then the alarm bells will ring.
