Inter Milan tandem Federico Dimarco and Marcus Thuram were among the highest-rated players in last night’s game between Italy and France.
According to Corriere dello Sport via FCInterNews, Dimarco and Thuram fared impressively in Sunday’s UEFA Nations League blockbuster.
France turned the tables on Italy following an underwhelming 3-1 defeat in September’s reverse fixture.
Indeed, Didier Deschamps’ side defied Kylian Mbappe’s absence to repay the Azzurri the favor at Giuseppe Meazza.
Adrien Rabiot’s brace and Guglielmo Viacrio’s own goal inspired the French to a 3-1 victory at Inter’s home venue.
In doing so, Les Bleus seized the top spot in a highly competitive Group A2, condemning Italy to a runner-up finish.
Marcus Thuram was among the protagonists despite failing to get on the scoresheet.
However, three of Inter’s four first-team stars to have made Luciano Spalletti’s starting XI weren’t up to the task.
Inter Duo Federico Dimarco & Marcus Thuram Highly Rated in Italy vs France
Alessandro Bastoni was supposed to be Italy’s defensive cornerstone.
But Thuram gave the 25-year-old a run for his money, making him look ‘less incisive than usual.’
Meanwhile, Davide Frattesi had a rare night off, though he heavily contributed to Andrea Cambiaso’s consolation goal.
Indeed, he refused to latch on to Dimarco’s cutback at all costs, knowing the Juventus ace was better positioned.
Yet, other than that, he was less influential than in most Nations League outings this autumn.
While Frattesi’s performance was sub-par, Nicolo Barella couldn’t find his footing in a new role.
Deployed in a more advanced position, the Inter superstar was indecisive in the final third.
He was far from his electrifying best.
Italy’s erratic showing put the wind in France’s sails, with Marcus Thuram benefitting from such a disjointed performance.
Indeed, he was devastating in transition, dominating Giovanni Di Lorenzo in almost every one-on-one duel.
Thuram’s ball-carrying ability in transition made him a nightmare for Italy.