Inter Player Ratings vs Juventus: Calhanoglu Life Performance Goes in Vain | OneFootball

Inter slumped to a gut-wrenching 4-3 defeat to bitter rivals Juventus in the 254th installment of the iconic Derby d’Italia. Despite being on the cusp of claiming three points, the Nerazzurri collapsed late.

Inter headed into proceedings seeking redemption for a dismal 2-1 home defeat to Udinese on the eve of September’s international break. However, Juventus got an early lead through Lloyd Kelly, who netted his first goal in the Bianconeri jersey.

Cristian Chivu’s side dominated possession after falling behind but had to wait until the 30th minute to find a breakthrough. Hakan Calhanoglu unleashed a left-footed rocket from the edge of the box to restore parity.

Yet, Juventus entered the halftime break on the front foot thanks to Kenan Yildiz’s goal in the dying moments of the first half. Despite facing a deficit at the start of the second half, Inter fared much better than their arch-rivals.

But presentable scoring chances were hard to come by. Inter needed a moment of magic, and Calhanoglu provided one shortly after the hour mark. He beat Michele Di Gregorio for the second time with an absolute peach of a strike.

Furthermore, Inter pulled off a comeback as Marcus Thuram headed home Federico Dimarco’s cross to make it 3-2. When it looked like Juventus would not fight back, Khephren Thuram canceled his brother’s header.

It was not the end of the drama in Turin. Vasilije Adzic scored a screamer off the bench to complete Juventus’ turnaround and inflict Inter’s second Serie A defeat under Chivu.

Let’s look at our Inter ratings.

Inter (3-5-2)

Yann Sommer – 2/10

Without an intention to diminish Yildiz’s credit, the Swiss goalkeeper had to do more to prevent Juve’s second goal. But the fact remains that each of Juve’s five shots on target finished behind him.

Manuel Akanji – 5/10

Caught off guard in that fateful 14th minute as Kelly slipped his mark before putting Juventus in front. However, the Manchester City loanee found his rhythm as the game progressed.

Francesco Acerbi – 8/10

What a performance from the veteran center-back! He made light work of Dusan Vlahovic, winning every aerial duel against the Serbian striker. He was outstanding!

Alessandro Bastoni – 6/10

Unlike his senior Italian colleague, the 26-year-old continued to underperform. His composure on the ball and willingness to push forward were the only saving graces.

Carlos Augusto – 7/10

Though he set up Calhanoglu for Inter’s first, the Brazilian wingback looked troubled when asked to defend set-pieces.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 7/10

If someone finds Chivu’s decision to put the Armenian veteran in his starting line-up mind-boggling, they probably didn’t watch his tireless pressing and clever movement tonight.

Hakan Calhanoglu – 9/10

An absolute masterpiece from the Turkish playmaker! Both goals were phenomenal, not to mention he scored with both feet. It was an ideal response to recent criticism.

Nicolo Barella – 5/10

Though full of running and energy, the diminutive midfielder failed to make an impact, often struggling to find the final pass. However, he was relentless off the ball.

Denzel Dumfries – 5/10

Barring sporadic flashes of pace and power down the right flank, the Dutchman lacked end product. His deliveries into the box rarely troubled Juventus.

Lautaro Martinez – 2/10

El Toro was a near-anonymous figure in Turin. Invisible for the best part of his 64-minute appearance, he struggled to link up with his teammates or exploit the channels behind Juventus’ defense.

Marcus Thuram – 7/10

The Frenchman was on the verge of delivering another forgettable performance before scoring a thumping header to put Inter in front. But it was in vain.

Substitutions

Federico Dimarco – 8/10

Yoan-Ange Bonny – 4/10

Piotr Zielinski – 4/10