Inter are building momentum at a critical point of the season, but the victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League came with a significant cost. Carlos Augusto's decisive goal gave Cristian Chivu's side their first points in Europe this season, ending a run of two straight defeats against Real Madrid and Club Brugge. The win mattered, but the manner of it raised fresh concerns. Alessandro Bastoni was sent off in the 69th minute after two bookings, leaving Inter to hold on with ten men, and his suspension will now affect selection for the coming fixtures.

The injury list continues to grow. Lautaro Martinez, Curtis Jones, John Stones, and Benjamin Pavard were already unavailable, and Luis Henrique has now joined them, ruling him out of Sunday's home match against Fiorentina. Djed Spence made his first start against Shakhtar but was withdrawn after 58 minutes having struggled to make an impact, which leaves Chivu with limited options across the squad.

Despite those concerns, Inter lead Serie A on 19 points after seven games, level with Lazio. The squad has shown resilience, with Carlos Augusto emerging as one of the most important players in the team and Josep Martinez responding well to earlier criticism with a strong display against Shakhtar. Sunday's match against Fiorentina at San Siro arrives with Inter managing fatigue, suspensions, and a growing injury list, making squad depth the defining challenge of this period.