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Inter Milan welcomed Borussia Dortmund to the San Siro on Wednesday in a Champions League fixture knowing very well that they needed a win to keep hopes of qualification to the knockout stages alive. The Nerazzurri were on a fantastic run in the Serie A, but their form in the UEFA Champions League this season had not been impressive.
Inter started their campaign with a draw against Slavia Praha, while they lost their last game to Barcelona. The Serie A giants were under a lot of pressure having acquired just one point after two games. Their opponents, on the other hand, were riding high in the group.
Dortmund entered the tie at the top of the group, after a win and a draw from their first two games. The Bundesliga side was yet to concede a goal in the tournament and had not lost a game in all competitions since the start of September. However, their defense had failed to impress this season and it was an opportunity that Antonio Conte was looking to exploit. The Italians were winless against German opposition in the Champions League since March 2011 so Conte was aware of the task at hand and named his first eleven accordingly
Inter Milan starting XI: Samir Handanović; Diego Godin, Milan Škriniar, Stefan de Vrij; Antonio Candreva, Nicolò Barella, Marcelo Brozović, Kwadwo Asamoah, Roberto Gagliardini; Lautaro Martínez, Romelu Lukaku.
Inter took the lead through Lautaro Martinez in the 22nd minute. Dortmund failed to cause the home side too much trouble for the rest of the half and the game went into the break with Inter leading 1-0. After the break, the visitors came knocking at the door on quite a few occasions, but could not find a breakthrough. Inter then won a penalty but Martinez’s shot was saved by Roman Burki. However, the home side doubled their lead through Candreva in the 89th minute and went on to win the game 2-0. Here are the five players who were impressive for Inter Milan.
All stats via Whoscored.com
#5 Nicolo Barella
The 22-year-old had an impressive stint in midfield against Dortmund. Nicolo Barella had 61 touches on the ball and attempted 40 passes with 88% accuracy. He was the brawn in the midfield for the home side, registering a game-high 8 tackles with 75% success rate. Barella ensured that the visitors were always under pressure and he helped his team stay in control of the game.
Also check out:Champions League Schedule Bundesliga schedule La Liga fixtures
#4 Stefan de Vrij
The Dutchman has been impressive as a part of a back three under Antonio Conte and continued his stellar run against Dortmund. Stefan de Vrij was rock-solid at the heart of the Inter Milan defense and he marshaled his backline to near perfection. He ensured that the visitors were effectively shut out of the game, allowing them just 2 shots on target on the night. His composure and discipline were key to the outcome of the game.
De Vrij had 109 touches of the ball, the highest in the game, and also registered a game-high 96 passes with 94 % success rate. He attempted 3 tackles with a 100% success rate and did not put a foot wrong all night at the back. And in the 22nd minute, he helped carve out the breakthrough goal of the game.
He spotted Martinez’s run from the deep and churned out the perfect long ball to the Argentinean, who scored to give Inter Milan the lead.
#3 Antonio Candreva
The Italian has been converted into a wingback by Antonio Conte and he has looked quite comfortable in the new role this season. Antonio Candreva was tireless against Dortmund, running down the flanks all through the game and combining well with his attackers to pile the pressure on the away side. The Italian also carried a goal threat, attempting three shots on the night, one of which was on target.
Candreva registered 57 touches on the ball and was a bit wayward with his passing, registering a 69% passing accuracy. This was mainly because he attempted more forward passes and tried to carve out chances for his team. His moment arrived in the 89th minute of the game, right after Martinez had missed the penalty.
Inter Milan was under a bit of pressure from Dortmund, who threatened to score. However, Candreva continued to be adventurous and his forward running paid off as Brozovic sent him through on goal. The Italian showed great finishing abilities to double his team’s lead.
#2 Lautaro Martinez
The Argentinean has earned a new lease of life under Antonio Conte this season. Lautaro Martinez started the game on a positive note, closing down the away defense and keeping them under pressure right from kick-off. His movement and positioning were stellar, and in the 22nd minute, he picked up a brilliant long ball from De Vrij and slotted the ball home to give his team the lead. Incidentally, it was his fifth goal in four consecutive matches in all competitions.
Martinez registered four shots in the game, three of which were on target. He had only 26 touches in the game, and could only register 11 passes. However, his off the ball running and energy in the final third was vital for his team. Dortmund failed to deal with him and ultimately had to pay the price. Martinez attempted 3 dribbles in the game with a 67% dribble success rate.
The Argentinean should have doubled the lead in the final moments of the game when Inter Milan won a penalty and he stepped up to take the kick. However, his shot was saved well by Roman Burki. Thankfully, his miss was not decisive, as the home side did go on to score the second goal.
#1 Marcelo Brozovic
The Croatian put in another match-winning shift in the midfield and was perhaps the man of the match for Inter Milan. Marcelo Brozovic’s importance is Antonio Conte’s team cannot be put down in words and the tireless work put in by the Croatian was enough to see his team through on the night.
Brozovic was excellent in the midfield, keeping the ball moving and dictating the tempo of the game for his team. He kept the whole team working like a well-oiled machine and was always at the right place at the right time to thwart Borussia Dortmund’s advances. Brozovic had 79 touches on the ball and registered 63 passes with 89% success rate. Most importantly, he had a game-high 3 key passes on the night.
The Croatian’s defensive contribution cannot be ignored either. Brozovic teamed up with Barella to ensure that Dortmund never won the midfield battle and provided ample cover to his backline. He attempted 5 tackles with a 60% success rate. He also set up Candreva to score the all-important second goal.
