SOMMER 7 – Compared to other games in which he plays Sudoku, Franchi is required to have maximum concentration. Good with his feet in the throws, he saved the advantage with Bonaventura’s poisonous right foot in the first half. Then in the second half he risks going out on Nzola and sends Nico from the spot, leading him to miss his first penalty (which isn’t even there…) since he’s been in Florence. Determinant.
PAVARD 6.5 – Starts with a thrilling misunderstanding with Sommer, then settles down and becomes a point of reference for his teammates, both defensively and in building from below. The ease with which he accepts one-on-ones and picks up the ball when there is space transmits serenity to the team, the Frenchman limits imperfections as much as possible and also accepts physical confrontations with Nzola, to whom he denies the winning turn by muffling his left foot. FROM 83′ BISSECK SV.
DE VRIJ 6.5 – He engages in an epic duel with Nzola, in which the two battle it out throughout the match. For most situations it is the Dutchman who has the upper hand, with excellent timing and safety in his interventions. But when the Angolan slips from his radar he creates enormous conditions for doing badly. He remains focused until the final whistle even in the chaos of his own penalty area.
BASTONI 7 – He goes out only because he has a warning on his back and Italiano brings in the darting Nico to aim him, but for an hour he shows off a leading performance from all points of view: lucid in construction, punctual in closing and with Olympic phlegm although pressed. His save on Nzola with the cry of ‘Geronimo’ just at the end of the first half was decisive. FROM 60′ ACERBI 6 – Not good when he loses sight of Nzola who wastes, better when he starts to cover his area of competence by helping Carlos Augusto on Nico’s initiatives in collaboration with Faraoni. An evening in which he needs to use all his experience.
DARMIAN 6 – With a setup that requires maximum attention in his own half of the pitch, assigning the task of attacking to a few selected players, he is extremely at ease. He accompanies the maneuver only when necessary, without ever leaving his area of expertise uncovered and with Pavard he forms a tandem that forces Fiorentina to do extra work to be effective on the left. FROM 60′ DUMFRIES 6 – Not a great impact on the match, with defensive amnesia and some errors in the dribbling phase. However, his physicality is invaluable when the game turns to an all-out battle.
FRATTESI 6.5 – He plays out of necessity, but on paper this would be his ideal match due to the spaces that Fiorentina usually grants to opponents’ counterattacks. Numerous cuts without the ball that too often his teammates ignore, better when he dictates the give and go and is served quickly. Terracciano denies him personal joy in the first half, he runs and makes his contribution in both halves of the pitch even when the batteries of the others run low.
ASLLANI 6.5 – Serene and orderly, even under pressure. He’s not Calhanoglu and he lacks the offensive intuitions of the Turk, but he brings home the first assist and an encouraging performance in which he is good at dictating the tempo and always making sure his teammates find him in his place in times of need. If he forced some plays he would probably take away other satisfactions too. In the end, when you have to grit your teeth, he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.
MKHITARYAN 6.5 – The workaholic, of the three untouchable midfielders, is the only one who never stops and even at Franchi it is clear why. He sometimes gets stuck in traffic but struggles to keep track of his ball-and-chain initiatives which cut the Viola defensive lines in two. He uses all his knowledge of the game to keep the departments glued together and helps create wood in the median.
CARLOS AUGUSTO 6.5 – Launched from the first minute due to his defensive vocation against the creativity of Ikoné and the push of Faraoni, he still shows up several times in the last meters of the opponents, giving air to the Nerazzurri’s counterattacks. It’s a shame that in the first half he was unselfish, looking for a cross instead of kicking from an excellent position for someone like him. He plays his part with technical clarity and great concentration.
MARTINEZ 7 – He puts his stamp on the game as a penalty area attacker and more than once he could place the second shot which would effectively close the game, but he lacks precision at the key moment. Yet another almost all-round performance, he never gives up on attacking any ball carrier and is a weasel between the lines, even the passing ones. After an hour it goes into energy saving mode to turn on when needed. FROM 77′ SANCHEZ 6 – He enters with the desire to battle even if there aren’t a lot of opportunities to show off. He therefore has to do mainly defensive work, certainly not his strong point but when he has the ball he knows how to protect it.
THURAM 6.5 – His gallops, with or without the ball between his feet, are full of hope for the Nerazzurri people but for one reason or another they don’t reach the ladies. Excellent finishing work even in traffic, he exhibits a technique that is second only to his physicality (which assists for Carlos Augusto…). But we still wonder how he managed to stumble a moment before entering the history of this match. FROM 60′ ARNAUTOVIC 6.5-Valuable work when it comes to carrying the ball away and clearing it, he also creates the conditions for the second goal by moving intelligently on the edge of offside. He also finds the net, spoiled by the offside.
ALL. INZAGHI 7 – An enormous victory that brings the Nerazzurri back to the front in the standings and with the asterisk. Are we missing two starting midfielders? It doesn’t matter, they get the answers they need from those who play in their place. A success on a very difficult pitch against an opponent who leaves no stone unturned, spitting blood until the 95th minute and protecting the 3 points with great personality. Inter interpreted the match with the right attitude and were rewarded in the end.
FIORENTINA: Terracciano 6, Faraoni 6, Martinez Quarta 6, Ranieri 6, Parisi 5.5 (from 89′ Milenkovic sv), Arthur 6 (from 46′ Lopez 6), 32 Duncan 6 (from 83′ Mandragora sv), Ikoné 5.5 (from 60′ Nico Gonzalez 5.5), Bonaventura 6, Nzola 6.5, Beltrán 5.5 (from 83′ Barak sv). Italian Annex 6
REFEREE: AURELIANO 5.5 – He entrusts the most important decisions to VAR and Marini helps him not to make mistakes on the Bastoni-Ranieri contact in the first half, but leads him to award a non-existent penalty when Sommer comes out on Nzola (the goalkeeper arrives first, the referee was right not to intervene). However, some interpretations that are not always consistent leave many doubts, especially regarding fouls and aerial tackles.
ASSISTANTS: Imperial 6 – Old 6
YES: Marini 5.5