INTER-MILAN 1-2
(27′ Dimarco; 10′ Pulisic, 88′ Gabbia)
Summer 7 – Morata warms his gloves right away, he can’t do much on Pulisic. Absolute protagonist in the second half: the one on Leao is not just a save for the photographers, and he repeats himself shortly after on Reijnders. He takes a risk when the ball is stretched out on a clearance, but he is clearly ahead of Abraham’s attempted intervention. In the final, a series of saves: for one night, he is the best on the field of his team, even if he surrenders to Gabbia.
Pavard 5.5 – Pulisic runs away from his side, causing trouble for the Rossoneri defence. And he paints them on the occasion of the 1-1.
Acerbi 5 – What a struggle on Abraham, after having cancelled out Haaland. He often loses the physical duel with the English centre forward: tonight, before going to sleep, a candle to Saint Yann of Morges.
Sticks 6.5 – The most convincing of the Nerazzurri defensive trio: he suffers little and gives his usual contribution in the maneuver phase. Second half as an added winger. (From 82′ Carlos Augusto sv ).
Dumfries 6 – First as a starter this season: ready the popcorn for any sparks with Theo, which all in all do not explode. Contains Leao: overall without too many worries, but at the beginning of the second half the Portuguese takes off in his face. (From 63′ Darmian 5.5 – He comes in when Inter is going astray and he is not the right man to fix it).
Stretcher 6.5 – The best of the Inter midfield, certainly not since today. He holds his own in the initial half-wreck, his is the sabre-throw that leads to the equaliser. (From 74′ Zielinski 6 – The best of the substitutes. And that says it all).
Calhanoglu 5.5 – The news is that the rule of yellow equals change also applies to him: it hasn’t always been like this. Targeted by whistles, but he is used to it by now, he offers an ordinary performance bordering on anonymous. Extraordinary, but not in a positive way, the balls touched: just 42, usually he is much more of a protagonist. (From 63′ Asllani 5.5 – It’s hard to get into a derby like this. But Inter disappears from the field when they take the keys).
Mkhitaryan 4.5 – Everything is expected, except that the professor of the Nerazzurri midfield starts the derby like this. Whether Pulisic touches it with his arm or not, and it seems not, the management of the ball that leads to 1-0 is disastrous. He gets booked in the 18th minute for a frustrated foul. He tries to redeem himself, but no rabbits come out of the hat. (From 63′ Frattesi 4.5 – Why him and not Zielinski? Change to explain, the fact is that the former Sassuolo player does not give what he cannot give. But also something less. And he stays to watch Gabbia who detaches).
Dimarco 6.5 – He builds and finishes the action of 1-1, he is also dangerous on other occasions in the second half. Half a point less because the winning goal of Milan comes from a foul of his.
Thuram 5 – Maybe he has become cynical, but tonight he disappeared into the shirts of the Rossoneri defense. You can’t hear him, you can’t see him, he doesn’t sting.
Lautaro 5.5 – San Siro waits for a goal from him, he responds with assists. He sees the corridor for Dimarco and sends him to score the equalizer. At the end of the first half he also puts Thuram in front of the goal. In the second half he tries to score: it doesn’t work, once again. Can we now call it a coincidence?
Simone Inzaghi 5 – The surprise is that Inter is, pardon the pun, a surprise. Milan’s switch to 4-4-2 is enough to throw the Nerazzurri squad into disarray, as they remain below par for most of the match. No offense, but giving up the three tenors in the second half is a move that needs explaining. And other choices could have been made up front.