Inter Milan will be aiming to “settle the score” this evening against a Fiorentina side who have started to become a bit of a bogey team for them.
This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera, via FCInterNews.
Under coach Simone Inzaghi, Inter have had certain times against whom they’ve always struggled to show their best form.
This has manifested both in terms of results and also performances. Certain teams have had clear ideas of how to cause problems for the Nerazzurri’s buildup, and have at times battered them with counterattacking chances.
Sassuolo have just about retained their status as a “bogey” team for the Nerazzurri, even after Inter won both encounters last season.
Meanwhile, Torino have made sure that Inter have had a miserable time every time the two sides meet. The Granata’s man-to-man pressing system under Ivan Juric is well-suited to counteracting Inzaghi’s 3-5-2 shape.
And last season, Monza emerged as a new contender for Inter’s “bogey” side.
The Brianzoli drew 2-2 with the Nerazzurri in January. Then in April they did one better, beating Inter at the San Siro.
Therefore, it will have come as a relief for Inter to beat Monza in their very first match of this season, with minimal drama.
How Fiorentina Became A “Bogey Team” For Inter Milan Under Inzaghi
The Nerazzurri will want to do something similar against Fiorentina this evening.
Clashes between the pair have been unpredictable since Simone Inzaghi and Vincenzo Italiano took over respectively.
Inter won the first encounter in Serie A in September of 2021. But they had to work hard to get the result, going behind in the first half against a Viola side who made life very difficult for them.
Then in March of 2022, Fiorentina were more than good value for their 1-1 draw against Inter.
That result came in the middle of a spring slow-down in form that effectively saw the Nerazzurri lose their grip in the Serie A title race against AC Milan.
It was the kind of match that seemed to expose Inter’s limits and frailties under Inzaghi.
A Trend That Continued In 2022-23 Campaign
Last season, Inter won the first league meeting with Fiorentina once again.
It was a slugfest of a match, however, a 4-3 thriller that Inter settled only in added time. Once again, Fiorentina showed that even in defeat they’re an opponent Inter will hate the sight of.
And in April, La Viola got their first victory over the Nerazzurri under Italiano, a 1-0 victory at the San Siro.
That result was a gut punch for Inter that came amidst a broader crisis in form.
The most recent meeting between the two sides was in the Coppa Italia final. Inter won that encounter 2-1, with a first-half Lautaro Martinez brace cancelling out a very early opener for the Tuscans.
But, as has become a theme, even when Inter won that match, there was a sense that Fiorentina could well have deserved something more.
Therefore, Inter will be hoping that they can make the same kind of statement as they already have against Monza.
Obviously three points are the most important aspect. But, nearly as much so would be doing so in a drama-free way to show that they’ve grown and learned from previous encounters.
