Dutch and Italian National Teams Exacerbate Inter's Defensive Crisis: Inzaghi Promotes Youth Academy Stars, Including a Legendary Son

Inter Milan players have been performing admirably for their respective national teams. Following Nicolò Barella, Federico Dimarco, and Matteo Darmian's high ratings in Italy's crucial qualifier, Marcus Thuram scored for France, and Stefan de Vrij provided an assist for the Netherlands, showcasing their prowess on the international stage. However, the recurring issue of "playing through minor injuries" is causing considerable concern for Inter Milan. After the FIFA international break, Inter faces a grueling schedule with three matches in a week against Juventus, Benfica, and Napoli. Benjamin Pavard is expected to return only by the end of the year. Whether Alessandro Bastoni can recover in two weeks depends on the next medical assessment. Juan Cuadrado is in intensive training, but his return date and form remain uncertain.

Inter's defense is in the throes of an injury crisis, and some decisions made by the Italian and Dutch national teams have sparked significant debate. For instance, Italy recently defeated North Macedonia in a high-intensity match and is now set to face Ukraine in a qualification decider at a neutral venue in Leverkusen. Team reporters indicate that coach Luciano Spalletti continues to rely heavily on Inter players. He considers Barella indispensable, and Francesco Acerbi is in a similar position. Dimarco and Davide Frattesi are likely to be given important roles, and it's uncertain if Darmian will get any rest. Even though Giovanni Di Lorenzo has returned from suspension, coach Spalletti might still prefer Darmian due to his current form.

The situation is similar with the Dutch national team. Before the intense match against Ireland, Denzel Dumfries showed signs of muscle fatigue during training, a clear indicator of overwork. Dumfries needed rest, but coach Ronald Koeman chose to start him and let him play the entire match. The exhausted Dumfries performed poorly, losing 10 out of 13 duels and failing to deliver accurate crosses or successful dribbles. Although his fighting spirit was commendable, his physical state was far from ideal. Inter can only be thankful that Dumfries didn't sustain a more serious injury.

Kristjan Asllani provides another example. Despite missing Inter's last league match due to injury, he was still made to start in a do-or-die qualifier for his national team. In summary, Inter is already plagued by injuries, and some older or physically struggling players aren't getting the necessary rest during national duty. This frequent occurrence of "playing through minor injuries" poses a significant challenge for Inter's preparations for the upcoming Derby d'Italia against Juventus.

What can be done? According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter still has enough depth with Acerbi, de Vrij, and Yann Bisseck, along with Darmian, who can cover as a center-back or wing-back. However, if another defender gets injured, Inter will face a severe dilemma. Coach Simone Inzaghi is preparing for the worst by promoting two young talents from the academy to the first team as a precautionary measure. These two rising stars are Giacomo Stabile and Aleksandar Stanković.

Giacomo Stabile is an Italian born in April 2005. He is still growing (measuring 1.87 meters earlier this year) and primarily plays as a center-back, although he can also function as a full-back. Stabile has made 58 appearances for Inter's various youth teams, scoring two goals.

Aleksandar Stanković, the son of Inter legend Dejan Stanković, holds dual Serbian and Italian nationality. He is the captain of Serbia's U19 team, born in August 2005, and also still growing (measuring 1.85 meters earlier this year). A versatile player, Stanković can play as a defensive midfielder or center-back. He has made 82 appearances for Inter's youth teams, scoring ten goals and providing nine assists, and has played 20 times for Serbia's youth teams, scoring six goals.

Reportedly, Inzaghi plans to include both players in the senior squad, with the possibility of them getting playing time to ease the burden on the core players.

On a side note, while the initial plan was to introduce these two players in detail, many long-time fans in our community scoffed at the idea, arguing that there is no point in writing about Inter's youth players given the club's poor track record in nurturing young talent. Instead, let's address the bigger picture.

Recently, we discussed Inter's "dribbling problem," with many fans saying that Inter's dribbling has been poor for years, and it's not necessarily a must-fix issue for improving performance. But the truth is, having a player like Marcus Thuram, who can significantly improve Inter's dribbling stats, is undeniably beneficial. The logic is clear: the larger the weak spot, the higher the returns from addressing it, as even small improvements can yield noticeable results.

Consider the analogy of exams: if you are already scoring 90 out of 100, improving by five points is tough. But if you're scoring only 40, a bit more effort can easily add 10 or 20 points. Inter has indeed been poor at developing young talent in recent years, which is a fact. But when the club does get it right, like with Lautaro Martínez or Bastoni, the rewards are immense.

Many people argue that Inter should rely solely on veterans and give up on youth development. However, CEO Giuseppe Marotta spent €14 million on Asllani and €7 million on Bisseck, indicating a different strategy. If Inter doesn't start addressing the issue of youth development, it could become a critical problem, especially with the Champions League format changing next year, leading to increased match loads. Big teams' players, who currently play around 60 matches a year, might have to play 70+ matches next season. Relying on aging veterans like Edin Džeko to carry the team through this increased burden won't be feasible. Marotta has openly stated that annual sales are necessary for Inter's financial health. Relying solely on players over 30 won't generate significant transfer revenue. Improving youth development is not just beneficial but essential for the club's survival.

In conclusion, while Inter's track record in developing young talent has been poor, any attempt to improve this weak spot is worthwhile. From my perspective, no effort in this regard is ever meaningless.