Juventus secured a huge triumph in the Derby D’Italia, beating Inter Milan 2-0 to make it their fourth consecutive Serie A win.
It was a great and exciting Derby d’Italia between two of Italy’s most storied teams Sunday night. Adrien Rabiot and Nicolo Fagioli got on the scoresheet as Juventus defeated wasteful rivals Inter Milan 2-0 to leapfrog their opponents into fifth place in the table.
To say that the Bianconeri have made a horror start to the season would be an understatement. Juventus have hit new lows after new lows this season. So, it is a huge three points in that context, and Juventus supporters are thrilled again, taking the pressure off Massimiliano Allegri for now since they were great tactically throughout, upsetting Inter.
It was a positive performance from the home side from every angle; even from the start, Allegri’s men defended diligently. But Inter missed some clear-cut opportunities in the final third. The first half finished 0-0 and was a bit cagey aside from the aforementioned chances.
But Juventus took the lead soon after the interval, breaking quickly through Filip Kostic, who went on a searing run before setting up Adrien Rabiot, who finished superbly as he burst into the area.
They thought they had doubled their advantage when Danilo volleyed home brilliantly from a corner, but it was rightly disallowed for a minor handball after a lengthy VAR review. Ultimately, they did get a second to put things to bed when Kostic set up youngster Nicolo Fagioli, who netted on his first-ever Serie A start.
Signed, sealed, delivered.
3 points for Juventus in the Derby d’Italia ⚪️⚫️ pic.twitter.com/q8JAu8Vol8
— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) November 6, 2022
The result lifts Juventus up to fifth in the Serie A table, above Inter and As Roma; they are currently two points behind the top four, which is the bare minimum they should be able to achieve with the quality of their squad and current financial woes. Meanwhile, Inter were left to rue their missed chances via Lautaro Martinez, Edin Dzeko, and Denzel Dumfries. The Hard Tackle will now rate both sets of players.
Juventus
Wojciech Szczesny: 7/10
A fantastic performance from the Pole, who was a wall between the sticks for Juventus and frustrated the Inter Milan attackers multiple times by denying their efforts time and time again. He made numerous saves, including a crucial one with his feet to prevent Lautaro Martinez from scoring the equaliser. He kept Inter at bay and earned a well-deserved clean sheet.
Danilo: 8/10
It was a defensive masterclass and a vintage performance from Danilo, who was a defensive demon as the right-sided defender in a back-three, producing multiple interceptions and blocks and always being in the right place at the right time to snuff out the danger. He converted a wonderful volley, but it was disallowed by VAR because it appeared to have touched his hand in the process. Unlucky.
Gleison Bremer: 8/10
The Brazilian defender put yet another relentless performer for Juventus at the back, showing why he was the best defender in Serie A last season and his credentials to perform at a big club like Juventus. Intriguingly, Bremer produced a stunning defensive showing in front of the club that was extremely close to signing him last summer.
He did a great job shutting down Dzeko. Made 5 clearances, three interceptions, and two tackles as he went in hard and did well the entire game. Missed a chance to score as well.
Alex Sandro: 7/10
Many were criticising Alex Sandro’s performance until this performance. The Brazilian defended astutely at the back and deserves some credit, as he worked extremely hard for the purpose. In the first half, Sandro made a desperate dive to prevent an Inter shot on goal that got him hobbling a bit in the process.
Juan Cuadrado: 7/10
Cuadrado impressed with his performance on the night, although it was less effective than that of his teammate on the opposite flank. A bundle of energy, as is usually the case with him, the veteran Colombian started the game brightly and sent in some dangerous crosses before fading a bit with his influence on the game. He also put in the hard yards defensively, making two tackles and winning most of his contested duels.
Nicolo Fagioli: 8/10
With his second goal in as many games, Nicolo Fagioli appears to be on a scoring spree. He made a superb and fearless run into the area to score his maiden Serie A goal at the Allianz and clinch the victory in a crucial game. Cool and composed, he sprayed the ball all around the pitch for fun and displayed his technical elegance by picking out his teammates with some lovely balls. The 21-year-old has been given a chance by Allegri of late, and he has taken it with both hands.
Manuel Locatelli: 7/10
Locatelli put on a battle-hardened display and won the majority of his duels against his foes. Often dropped deep into his half to overload Inter’s first pressing line as he distributed to all parts of the ground and set the tempo. Formed a delightful relationship with young Fagioli in the middle of the park.
Adrien Rabiot: 7/10
Adrien Rabiot's game by numbers vs. Inter:
▫️61 Touches
▫️8/14 Ground duels won
▫️3/6 Tackles won
▫️2/4 Aerial duels won
▫️6 Recoveries
▫️2 Passes into final third
▫️2 Attempted shots
▫️1 Clearance
▫️1 Interception
▫️1 Chance created
▫️1 GoalThat was a superb finish. pic.twitter.com/ebasi3dBuB
— Max Statman (@emaxstatman) November 6, 2022
Adrien Rabiot has been in a rich vein of form of late, perhaps maybe to earn a move away or even a bumper deal at Juventus as he is in the final few months of his current deal. And it has continued against Inter with another goal, and what a well-taken goal it was.
Rabiot can thank Kostic for the setup and all the running that came with it before an expert finish from the Frenchman, who offered a drive in transition and delivered a complete all-action display. His defensive contribution was outstanding. A pair of crunching tackles were his standout moments without the ball, with much of his work going under the radar. He covered so much ground as well.
Filip Kostic: 9/10
The first half was fairly balanced, but in the second half, Kostic cranked up the sparkle and turned the tide in the hosts’ favour. Juventus took the lead thanks to his blistering counter-attacking run down the wing and composure in locating Rabiot with his cut-back.
🇷🇸 Filip Kostic's game by numbers vs. Inter:
▫️100% Successful dribbles (1/1)
▫️2/6 Successful crosses
▫️3/5 Successful long balls
▫️2/4 Ground duels won
▫️6 Recoveries
▫️3 Chances created
▫️3 Big chances created
▫️2 Clearances
▫️2 Assists pic.twitter.com/xuBGIREN3T— FootballSoccerMeme (@fsmofficialTW) November 6, 2022
The versatile wide man was tenacious without the ball and outstanding with it, capping off a strong performance by picking out Fagioli for his goal as well. Took the corner for Danilo’s disallowed goal. Involved in Juventus’ most promising attacking adventures. Man of the Match.
Fabio Miretti: 6/10
A mediocre display from the teenager, who could not really get into the flow of the game. He ran hard and covered spaces in the middle but struggled to deliver the final ball. Not a bad display, overall.
Arkadiusz Milik: 6/10
Absolutely absent from the derby. Milik was on the field but rarely saw the ball. He was not a threat at all with zero shots. Although it was not all his fault, his teammates never provided him with apt services.
SUBSTITUTES
Federico Chiesa: 6/10
Chiesa made his first Serie A appearance since suffering a horrific injury in January, taking over the striker role from Milik. He got back well to help out his defence in pressure moments late in the game, but showed his rustiness by spurning a one-on-one with Onana late in the game, albeit he was called offside later on.
Angel Di Maria: N/A
Did not play enough to warrant a rating. Returned from injury to make a cameo appearance.
Inter Milan
Andre Onana: 7/10
It would have been a lot worse if not for Onana in the Inter goal. He cannot be faulted for any of the goals and pulled off some fantastic saves. Onana did well to punch away Juventus’s crosses and was arguably Inter’s best player, which speaks volumes about the Nerazzurri’s performance at the Allianz Stadium.
Milan Skriniar: 6/10
Skriniar put himself in the right spots and was strong in the air. He did not perform up to his regular level, instead mirroring his teammates on the night, tentative and too cautious in both the defensive and build-up phases. Booked.
Stefan De Vrij: 5/10
De Vrij put in a solid defensive shift in which he held his position effectively throughout. Because the buildup did not flow through him, he was not as engaged in playing out from the back.
Francesco Acerbi: 6/10
Acerbi surprisingly pushed up the field and performing so well in the first half, particularly while filling in for Bastoni, but he fizzled out in the second half. He did all the dirty work in the centre of the midfield. However, also like usual, a lot of his passes went to the wrong team. Must improve his passing.
Denzel Dumfries: 5/10
You would expect better finishing from Inter’s right wing-back, known for his attacking end product. Like a lot of the players, he just did not seem to be at his best, and you could tell by watching his crosses fail to trouble Juventus’s defence at all. Missed an absolute sitter that could have changed the turn of events in the game.
Nicolo Barella: 6.5/10
Barella ran all over the pitch time and time again as usual but did not have the same effect on the game he usually has, barring the big chance he accidentally created for Denzel Dumfries’s miss. Although it is a little unfair, his hesitation led to Juventus’s first goal. Worked ever so hard, though, and saw a lot of the ball.
Hakan Calhanoglu: 7/10
A mixed bag for Calhanoglu. There were stellar attacking sequences, long-range shots, and pinpoint Hollywood passes but also examples of sloppy play in open space and wasteful possession play.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan: 6/10
The former AS Roma playmaker’s steady, calm, cool-headed passing and movement enabled Inter to maintain tempo and structure in the first half. But, like the rest of his colleagues, he faded in the second half. Arguably Inter’s most creative midfield outlet on the day. This is a cause for concern given the midfield trio’s inventiveness on paper.
Federico Dimarco: 6/10
The boyhood Inter fan was up for the game, grafted like hell, and did cause a few problems for the Juventus defence with some of his crosses. In the grand scheme of things, he should have done much better against the old legs of Juan Cuadrado.
Lautaro Martinez: 6/10
The surprise of the night by far was Martinez’s wasteful finishing and rusty first touch. He squandered two big chances. One was a snapshot, and the other was a one-on-one against the keeper, in which he should have done better.
Edin Dzeko: 5/10
He had two glorious opportunities to score, but he whistled them both just wide of the goal. He had an open header from close range that was put on a platter at the back post for a typical Dzeko goal, but he completely mistimed his attempt.
SUBSTITUTES
Robin Gosens: 6/10
You could be forgiven for thinking Gosens never stepped onto the pitch, such was the anonymity of his cameo. Invisible.
Joaquin Correa: 6/10
Correa replaced Calhanoglu in the 74th minute and was shortly instrumental in the setup for an opportunity that Lautaro Martinez should have buried but didn’t.
Marcelo Brozovic: N/A
Did not play enough to warrant a rating. Returned from injury to make a cameo appearance.
Raoul Bellanova: N/A
Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
Matteo Darmian: N/A
Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
