Inter-Bruges
Inter
J. Martinez 4.5 - He can do nothing about Tresoldi's penalty. Then comes his customary disaster: he inexplicably charges out to the halfway line for an opposition attack that does not call for it, leaving the goal open for the Belgian side's striker to score his second. He parries the ball onto the Italian-German's feet for his third. Madrid might have been an isolated incident, but after Udine, this third warning settles the matter. He often delivers between the posts, yet he is a problem for Inter. They must solve it.
Bisseck 5 - Given licence to build attacks from centre-back, he switches off at times. Bruges' quick wide players repeatedly cause him problems. The mismatch in pace is obvious, and he struggles along with his team-mates.
Akanji 4.5 - Careless in his marking of Tresoldi, he struggles to contain him and resorts to rough tactics, earning a yellow card. His opponent reacts and moves faster than he does, while playing in the centre offers no help. Slow, bogged down and laboured when starting attacks, he delivers a disastrous performance that confirms his difficulties at the start of the season.
Bastoni 5.5 - He holds his position and takes responsibility for building play from the back, making him the least poor of the back three. Late on, he fades with his team-mates and looks tired as he tries to contain the bursts of pace from Potts and Forbs.
Diouf 5.5 - A thorn in the opposition's side going forward, he has far more trouble tracking back. When opponents run at him, as they do tonight, his limitations become obvious.
Barella 5 - Caught between breaking up play and creating it, he contributes too little to either. The Belgian side's transitions frequently catch him out, and he goes down with the whole ship. (From the 78th minute: Bonny 6.5: He injects energy, darts in behind the Bruges defenders and scores a fine goal with a dribble and a curling shot. Perhaps he should have come on earlier.)
Çalhanoğlu 5 - His passes lack their usual weight, and he struggles defensively too. His foul on Forbs as he bears down on goal leads to the penalty. He then rattles the crossbar with a thunderous shot from distance before going off with a physical problem ahead of the final collapse. (From the 67th minute: Sucic 5.5: His shot leads to Lautaro's second goal. He comes on when Inter need to attack, but neglects his defensive duties a little too often.)
Zielinski 5 - Trying harder than his team-mates to link play and get forward, he even comes close to scoring. Then he sets off the Forbs counter-attack that leads to the penalty putting the Belgian side ahead. He never recovers. (From the 88th minute: Stankovic not rated)
Dimarco 5 - Last season's attacking weapon has yet to reappear, possibly because of a physical problem. He makes a few muddled errors, though his left foot remains dangerous, as he shows midway through the second half. Defending against someone as quick as Forbs is another matter. (From the 78th minute: Spence not rated)
L. Martinez 7 - A world-class problem-solver as ever. First he has a goal ruled out, then he conjures up the equaliser with his standing foot and an instant toe-poke worthy of a true No 9. In the second half, he squanders the chance to make it 2-1 when one-on-one with Sommer before giving his side hope again with a tap-in for 2-3. The last to give up, he feels the defeat like salt burning his skin.
Thuram 6 - Pace and strength help him battle the Belgian centre-backs, and he does not hesitate to shoot from distance. He probably should not have gone off: he still looks capable of troubling the inattentive Belgian defence. (From the 67th minute: P. Esposito 5.5: He tries to battle the centre-backs but sees little of the ball. He squanders a chance when one-on-one with Sommer.)
Manager Chivu 5 - This is not the Inter admired in Europe during the two years with Inzaghi. Attacking football brings entertainment and goals, but his team seem to have forgotten how to defend this year. A slow defence covering so much ground against quick, pacey wide players is asking for a drubbing, especially without a reliable presence in goal. He shows a little tactical arrogance at times. Comebacks earn him forgiveness in Italy, but not in Europe.
