On Sunday, February 4, 2024, Inter defeated Juventus at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium.
With this win, the team opened up a four-point lead with one game in hand.
Check out the perspectives for the rest of the season.
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Index
Inter 1 x 0 Juventus
Since the beginning of the season, Inter Milan and Juventus have been battling for the top spot in the table.
Despite much criticism of the Old Lady’s coach by the fans for the below-par performance last season (not to mention the point deduction suffered by the club), Massimiliano Allegri’s team has been consistent in Serie A.
The club still boasts excellent players; however, the squad options do not maintain the same level as in the past when they had numerous stars in their lineup.
Thus, the Turin-based team entered the 23rd round with a chance to surpass Inter at the top of the table, albeit temporarily, as the Nerazzurri have one game in hand.
However, the one-point difference turned into four.
Inter started stronger, relying heavily on switching play from right to left, where Dimarco, one of the best in his position currently, often outperformed his markers.
Image: Inter Academy Reproduction
This led to the first two goal-scoring chances. The first, a scuffed shot from the full-back. In the second, he precisely set up Thuran, but the striker hesitated and was blocked in his shot inside the box.
The Old Lady responded shortly after with a beautiful play by McKennie, who carried the ball at speed, initiating a counter-attack. He passed to Vlahovic, who was in an excellent position to shoot inside the box. However, the striker’s control was poor, and the chance went begging.
Just five minutes after the missed opportunity, at 36′, Inter effortlessly passed the ball on their right side and kept the box crowded.
The ball found Barella in a crossing position. The highly skilled player delivered a cross to Parvard, who cleverly positioned himself inside the box, despite being a right-back.
The Frenchman attempted a stylish volley but didn’t strike the ball cleanly. It bounced off Gatti, enough to wrong-foot Szczęsny.
Teammates initially celebrated with Thuran, but the replay showed a clear own goal by the Juventus defender.
After opening the scoring, the Old Lady knew they needed a win, so they pushed forward. However, they failed to create many clear-cut chances. On the contrary, the space left by their pressing attempts was a playground for Inter.
With a very vertical counter-attack, the Nerazzurri had several escapes and posed more danger than the visitors. Goalkeeper Szczęsny, in particular, made two impressive saves.
Once again, a honorable mention goes to Dimarco for his outstanding performance, a key player in Inter’s attack. He provided delightful passes to teammates and also appeared as a finisher.
In summary, a very cohesive team coached by Simone Inzaghi.
Therefore, as mentioned earlier, Inter has opened up a four-point lead over the team from Torino and still has one game in hand, potentially stretching the lead to seven points.
Image: Getty Images
Perspectives of Serie A TIM 2023/24
With great composure and honesty, the title of Serie A TIM 2023/24 seems secured by Internazionale.
The team from the beautiful city of Milan is having a very consistent season, reflecting the continuity of Simone Inzaghi’s work, who has been leading the team for three seasons now.
Furthermore, the team was eliminated from the Italian Cup by Bologna, so this is one less commitment on their calendar.
With the lead opened up, the Old Lady seems unable to catch up, much less Milan, who are showing inconsistency this season and are likely to remain in third place.
The most interesting part of the table is the race for European qualification spots. In fourth place, we have Atalanta, with 39 points, followed by Roma (38), Bologna (36), and Napoli (35). Just below them, Fiorentina and Lazio have (34) points each, meaning the battle for fourth place will be intense.
It’s worth noting the excellent season so far by Bologna under the management of Italian-Brazilian coach Thiago Motta. With significantly lower investment compared to others, they are fighting tooth and nail for a Champions League spot.
Roma has one more game (23) than Bologna (22). Additionally, the capital team faces Inter in the next round, while Bologna plays Lecce, who are currently 13th and have only one win in their last five games.
The relegation battle will also be interesting. Except for Salernitana, who are likely to play in the second division next season, all teams between Sassuolo and Empoli have only one point difference between them. Furthermore, Frosinone and Lecce need to be wary and not let their competitors catch up, although they have five points more than Cagliari, the first team in the relegation zone.
Do you believe these will be the paths of Serie A?
Image: Press Release
Written by Vitor F L Miller.
