Inter Milan 1-1 Atalanta – Netherlands Star ‘Shows How Much Inter Missed Him’ Despite Blame For La Dea Equaliser | OneFootball

Denzel Dumfries made his long-awaited return to the Inter Milan starting lineup against Atalanta and gave an immediate reminder of his quality, though his afternoon was inevitably overshadowed by the controversial circumstances surrounding Atalanta’s equaliser.

The Dutchman’s last start had come on November 9th against Lazio, and his impact on Esposito’s opening goal was the clearest possible signal of what Inter had been missing.

Tuttosport captured the moment best, via L’Interista.

“The dominance with which he wins the duel with Kolasinac for the 1-0 is proof of how much Inter have missed him.”

Inter 1-1 Atalanta – Dumfries Return Welcomed Despite Involvement In Equaliser

It was the kind of powerful, direct contribution that Luis Henrique, for all his effort, has been unable to replicate consistently in his absence.

Gazzetta dello Sport were equally appreciative of his return while noting the complexity of his role in the equaliser.

“He protects the decisive ball poorly, but aside from that, a fine comeback. He gets into the goal, attacks the area. Quite different from Luis Henrique.”

The suggestion of a push on Dumfries before he went to ground remains the subject of fierce debate, with multiple analysts arguing the contact was sufficient for a foul.

The Italian media were unanimous in their rating, a 6 across all five outlets, reflecting a player who delivered enough to justify his selection while being unable to escape the controversy that defined the closing stages.