Analysis of Inter Milan’s New Forward: The Controversial “Pitch Fraud” and the 70-30 Theory Sparkling Since Age 10

With the recent acquisition of Inter Milan by new owners, the club is set to announce a new chairman within the next two weeks. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Alejandro Cano, the Global Opportunities Strategy Manager at Oak Tree Capital and Co-Head of the European Division, is the frontrunner for the position. Cano, a Catalonian with an engineering background, is seen as similar to Steven Zhang in two significant ways: he lacks experience but possesses great enthusiasm, and he plans to remotely manage Inter from London, potentially delegating daily operations to the management team, much like Zhang.

However, the Italian media's focus on the chairman candidate will be elaborated on later. For now, let's delve into another hot topic in the Inter Milan circle: Mehdi Taremi. Recently, his agent, Pastorello, shared a photo of Taremi in Milan, looking for housing and expressing eagerness to don the Inter Milan jersey. Over the past few months, many fans have been requesting more information about Taremi. La Vetrina has previously analyzed his prospects, noting that his playing style is similar to Lautaro Martínez – a functional forward with a knack for physical confrontations. Here, I would like to add two more critical aspects of Taremi: his reputation as a "pitch fraud" and his unique "70-30 theory."

In April 2022, Sporting CP issued an official statement accusing Taremi of being a "snake charmer," implying he is adept at deceiving referees and earning penalties, which sparked immense controversy. The statement was later retracted due to discrimination concerns, but the criticism persisted. Taremi is widely regarded as one of the best in Europe at winning penalties. Since the 2019-20 season, he has won 21 penalties in the Primeira Liga, a remarkable feat.

Given my recent invitation to participate in a major infrastructure project in Iran, I've been learning the language and engaging with many Iranian citizens, especially football fans. They shared that Taremi comes from a football family, with his father, Ali Shah, being a legendary player in Iranian football. Taremi's father discovered his son's talent for winning penalties when he was in elementary school and intentionally nurtured it. Ali Shah once proudly stated, "Mehdi has always been good at winning penalties, and I've taught him the tricks. I still have videos of him winning penalties at the age of 10!"

Winning penalties often involves not just skill and style of play but also understanding the physicality of the game and influencing the referee’s perception. It’s as much about “ability” as it is about “experience” or “cunning.” Taremi is a master in this regard. This season, Inter Milan has won 14 penalties in Serie A, an exceptional number. Since OPTA started monitoring Serie A in 2004, Inter’s average per season was 5.33 penalties, making this year a record-breaker. The question is, will Taremi’s specialty prove useful in Serie A and for Inter Milan?

Taremi’s other defining characteristic is his "70-30 theory," which underscores his penchant for assisting. According to him, "If I shoot from the edge of the box, there's a 50-50 chance of scoring. But if I pass, it becomes 70-30. In such cases, I will pass without hesitation." Throughout his career, Taremi has played 387 club matches (excluding national team statistics, considering the ease of accumulating stats in Asian competitions, especially against teams like China or Guam). In these 28,767 minutes, he has scored 193 goals, averaging a goal every 149 minutes – a decent strike rate. Additionally, he has provided 92 assists and won over 40 penalties in under 400 games, showcasing impressive assist efficiency, particularly in European competitions.

In the UEFA Champions League, Taremi has scored 10 goals and provided six assists (excluding won penalties). In the Europa League, his assists outnumber his goals, which is quite rare among forwards in European teams. Taremi’s strong ability to win penalties and his exceptional assist skills have undoubtedly led to the "pitch fraud" controversy, but they also spark widespread discussion about his potential impact at Inter Milan. Will Taremi prove to be a valuable asset for Inter? What are your thoughts?