Juventus have breathed new life into their 2022/23 campaign after defeating Inter 2-0 on Serie A Matchday 13 and Bianconeri coach Massimiliano Allegri achieved the victory with a mix of his trusted ideas as well as some new ones too.
The Bianconeri defended well in numbers and proved to be a lethal counter-attacking threat. Although the Nerazzurri squandered some opportunities throughout the game to score, they got exposed defensively and could not handle the quick breaks launched by La Vecchia Signora.
Throughout his first spell at Juventus and most of this one so far, Allegri had placed his faith in a defence-first approach and experienced personnel on the pitch. Since the Italian giants look nowhere near the winning force they were in the 2010s, not to mention how poorly they performed in the Champions League, the Livorno native has tweaked his tactics slightly and integrated new players into the team.
Inter dominated everywhere but the scoresheet
Inter dominated in a number of categories. They had 53.2% possession compared to Juve’s 46.8%, had a successful passing rate of 85.8% compared to the Bianconeri’s 82.5%, and had 14 shots whereas La Vecchia Signora had eight. However, the Nerazzurri lost the ball 131 times compared to the 114 of Juve, and they only got four shots on target.
Juventus took their chances thanks to France international Adrien Rabiot and Italian starlet Nicolo Fagioli. Fagioli in particular stands out as he was rarely playing in the early rounds of the season but Allegri has slowly integrated him into the team.
He scored the winner against Lecce in the previous round and this time he sealed the win against the Nerazzurri. He also became the third youngest midfielder to score against Inter at 21 years and 267 days, following Giacomo Neri at 20 years and 291 days, and Antonio Montico at 21 years and 115 days.
Fellow youngster Fabio Miretti was earning plaudits towards the back end of the 2021/22 season, but his performances have been patchy at best, and perhaps operating behind a lone striker does not suit his characteristics. However, matches like the Derby d’Italia give him the opportunity to experience games in which there is lots of pressure and he can only learn from this.
Despite the goals, Allegri did not necessarily let his team sit back and defend after taking the lead. Juventus had their chances to add to their tally and further expose an Inter side that failed to get the balance right.
Rabiot joins French greats in Juventus history
The much-maligned Adrien Rabiot is in the final year of his contract with Juventus but he is currently having his best season in Turin. So far, the 27-year-old has scored five goals in all competitions, matching his highest tally since he joined the club in 2019.
His strike in the win against Inter made him the third French midfielder to score against the Nerazzurri after legends Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane, and he was the first Frenchman since David Trezeguet in March 2008 to score against the Biscione.
Whether it is due to his contract running its course or a sign of him maturing as a player, Rabiot is starting to find the back of the net more regularly, which is great for him and Juve in general.
