The Conventional Playmaker previously covered Inter’s transfer activity and tactics
It was a highly anticipated contest of 3-5-2 systems, fought between Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid. Ironically, the match remaining goalless until the 79th minute did not deflate the spectacle, though Mario Arnautovic’s deflected winner ultimately gave Inter a deserved advantage going into the Champions League Round of 16 second-leg, and prolongs the discussion of Inter as the most functional side in Europe.
Line-ups
Simone Inzaghi and Diego Simeone, put their set-ups head to head, with Inzaghi starting an expected XI. The topic of who would play at right wing-back was decided by the experienced, more defensive inclined Matteo Darmian being picked ahead of Denzel Dumfries, whilst the midfield three offered Inter genuine balance.
Atletico’s own midfield three were set to work like hounds without the ball. Though Simeone did not start Alvaro Morata, instead starting utility man Marcos Llorente alongside Antoine Griezmann.
Different takes on the 3-5-2
They may have been set up in 3-5-2 on paper, but in the case of this match, the ways in which they went about performing their systems were very different.
Inter’s shape was far more fluid, and flexible. Both sets of wing-backs would motor up the flanks and look to attack by crossing, or by moving into the box. But Darmian and Federico Dimarco would rotate positions with teammates more. Inter’s wing-backs could tuck inside, with the midfielders dropping deeper, and the centre-backs pushing wide, or another sort of rotation could occur; it seemed the movements were that varied they were almost endless. The centre-backs would also push forward in attack, rotating positions, and making runs.
One of a number of Inter chances that came during the first-half was evident of the centre-backs freedom to roam forward. In the midst of midfielder Nicolo Barella picking out a cross to meet a run across the box from Lautaro Martinez, right-sided centre-back Benjamin Pavard made a run ahead of both Barella and Darmian, and not only provided another target for Barella, and could have possibly acted as a decoy.
The deepest midfielder, Hakan Calhanoglu, would sit in front of the back three, or tuck into spaces between two of the three, and help progress play from deeper positions. His positioning in this case sometimes meant a centre-back or a wing-back could push further forward, so although there were rotations, the shape could be retained. While Inter did have more possession than Atletico, with 56% to 44%, Calhanoglu also seemed to be more involved in build-up in deeper positions than his counterpart for Atletico, Koke.
In contrast, Atletico’s shape was instead more rigid, and they did not build as patiently when in the first phase of play. Additionally, there was more involvement in build-up from Inter goalkeeper Yana Sommer, compared to Atletico’s Jan Oblak.
Inter’s two midfielders positioned ahead of Calhanoglu, Barella, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, looked to carry the ball from deep and through the channels. Atletico’s midfielders were not as influential in possession, and did not seem to have specific roles in possession like Inter’s.
In the case of Barella, he is essentially a midfield jack of all trades. He will track back to regain the ball in wide areas, he can carry the ball forward, he will make runs into the box, and he can play passes from varying positions with high accuracy.
Cancelling each other out
Inter crowded central areas inside their own half, which forced Atletico to play the ball wide. Though when the ball was wide, Inter’s midfielders would tracked back to defend against attacks. In turn, Rodrigo De Paul would drift to the right-side, supporting Molina in pressing the Inter midfield looking to progress the play down their left side.
Atletico pressed aggressively, and high up the pitch. Saul Niguez in particular, would push forward alongside Griezamann and Llorente to close down passing lanes, as Inter’s defence tried to build play from deep. But Inter’s players movements meant there was always a passing option available, and they moved the ball swiftly, using switches of play from one flank to the other to bypass the press and move the ball into Atletico’s half.
Griezmann is Atletico’s most creative player, and was keen to drop into deeper spaces and take hold of possession, but there was often little room to thread passes into due to the compactness of Inter’s shape. Atletico were always likelier to create an avenue towards goal when Griezmann dropped into a pocket of space and passed to a teammate making a run, but Inter would clear the ball out of danger.
If he was not dropping into said deeper spaces, Griezmann was making runs beyond the defensive line. But lofted balls attempting to find Griezmann were cut out by Inter’s defence. Atletico themselves would cut out attempted to feed runs from Inter’s wing-backs.
First-half chances
An array of key duels occurred across the pitch. Inzaghi could reportedly be seen shouting at Darmian for not closing down Lino soon enough as Lino shifted inside to shoot, with his effort curling just wide of the goal.
Lautaro dropped deeper, and in doing so would connect with the midfielders wing-backs, and even the centre-backs when they advanced forward. And a counter-attack for Inter saw a long ball forward knocked down by Lautaro, and to de Vrij, who had made a run from defence. But de Vrij’s pass to Thuram was intercepted by Axel Witsel. A situation later on oversaw a similar combination;
With the ball was Pavard on the right side. Thuram made a run from out to in which Pavard picked out with a ball over the top of the defence…
Thuram met the pass, and knocked the ball down for Lautaro to take a shot from outside the box, but the ball was fired over the goal.
A poor pass from De Paul led to another chance. The midfielder passed straight to Thuram, who the surged forward, and cut the ball back to Martinez, but the shot that followed was blocked. It was the best chance of the half in a match where for the most part, Inter failed to be as clinical as they should have been.
The strike partnership of Lautaro and Thuram worked in tandem as expected. Mkhitaryan set Lautaro through as he made a run down the left channel. Quickly, Inter’s #10 passed to Thuram, who then set Barella free on the edge of the box. Barella took a touch, before returning the ball back to Thuram, with his shot aimed straight at Oblak, and proved to be the last noteworthy chance of the first-half.
Second-half
But Thuram would not play any further, having went down injured following the previous shot, and was replaced by Arnautovic. Atletico also made a defensive alteration, with Stefan Slavic replacing Gimenez.
A few minutes into these second-half saw an excellent move that encapsulated Inter’s resistance to high pressure, and the qualities players present in their designated roles. Atletico pressed high, but Inter quickly switched the ball from the left-wing, to the right, before switching it back again. A nice pass from out to in by Darmian was played in behind the press which had pushed forward, and to Lautaro, who was therefore in space to turn and pass.
Lautaro then passed to Mkhitaryan. The midfielder dribbled forward, and picked out Dimarco who had overlapped down the left side. His excellent ball found Arnautovic free in the box, but shot over the goal. That move deserved a goal, but Arnautovic’s shot didn’t. You might argue that had Thuram been the recipient of Dimarco’s delivery, Inter would have taken the lead there and then.
Barella later played a in-swinging ball to Arnautovic who headed wide. A number of chances were missed by Arnautovic after being introduced. It is a good sign that a centre-forward can get themselves into a position in the box to receive the ball and shoot, but the shots he did miss should have been scored.
Substitutions
Niguez was taken off for Morata, which meant Morata moved up front, Llorente moved to the right of midfield, and De Paul switched to the left of Atletico’s midfield three.
Meanwhile, a big chance for Atletico can me when Morata switched the ball to Lino on the left. Lino tricked his way past Darmian, making it look effortless. The wing-back exchanged with De Paul, but his subsequent shot went narrowly wide.
Nahuel Molina was replaced by Pablo Barrios on Atletico’s right, and Reinildo replaced Mario Hermoso in Atletico’s back three.
As for the home side, like for like changes were made down the flanks. Dimarco was replaced by Carlos Augusto, and Denzel Dumfries replaced Darmian. Although Dumfries only touched the ball 16 times, he advanced into the box more often than Darmian. The right-side was more dynamic as a result of the switch of Italian for Dutch, and it meant a different challenge for Lino, who now had to contend with Dumfries, and Pavard overlapping.
Mkhitaryan was also taken off, and Davide Frattesi was brought on.
Inter pile on pressure, and eventually score
Continuing to sit deep in front of the defence and and play long balls towards targets, Calhanoglu, positioned towards the right in this scenario, sent a brilliant in-swinging cross straight to Lautaro, and although he latched onto the pass, his header was caught by Oblak.
Inter fans need not fear, as eventually the deadlock was broken. 79 minutes in, Inter pressured high up the pitch. Frattesi forced a giveaway of possession from Reinildo in Atletico’s own half. Lautaro ran through towards goal, and had his shot saved. To his fortune, Arnautovic was there to convert the rebound, albeit deflecting off of a defender.
More chances came for both sides as the match reached its dying embers, but the final score line proved to be fair, as Inter were the better outfit, and displayed the tactical nous Inzaghi has worked on since taking over as head coach. Atletico are stronger at home, but Inter take a valuable lead going into the second leg.
Sources: TNT Sports, Fotmob, WhoScored
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