Review Of Inter 2020-21

Inter ended the 2020-21 season with a party. The Scudetto was confirmed on my birthday on 2^nd May after Atalanta failed to beat Sassuolo and Inter had beaten Crotone. We won our 19^th Scudetto to surpass Milan who was tied on 18 with Inter. Only for the second Scudetto-winning season have Inter surpassed a total of more than 90 points. We ended the season with the best defensive record and second-best attack. The season ended with a 5-1 thrashing of Udinese in what was our 3000^th Serie A game. We became the first Serie A club to achieve that milestone.

Pessimism Going Into The Season

Let me look back at the season. At the start, the mood among Inter fans was not optimistic because of the signings we made. Since the takeover by the Suning Group, we have progressively made shrewd signings of quality players young enough to develop. The previous summer began with a showdown between Antonio Conte and the club’s management with some doubts about the coach’s future. The conclusion was that Conte will stay on. The signings we made subsequently were less than impressive. They were what you would describe as Conte signings, ready-made players with experience that can guarantee immediate success. I believe that we took a step back in this regard. It later emerged that the pandemic hurt the finances of the Suning Group, thus the regression in our transfer policy. We signed Aleksandar Kolarov, Arturo Vidal and Matteo Darmian. The only signing that excited us was that of Achraf Hakimi but that was a deal that was concluded in the previous winter transfer market.

Shaky Beginning

Like all the teams that went deep into European competition the previous season, Inter had a delayed start to the season without any proper pre-season. Conte wanted the team to play aggressively, pressing from the front and moved the defensive line higher. While that meant Inter were scoring a lot of goals, it also meant that we were badly exposed in defence. The defence was not settled and it took some time for what was Inter’s first-choice defenders, Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni to play together. Kolarov proved to be the liability we thought he would be in defence. Conte’s blue-eyed boy, Vidal didn’t fare any better in midfield. Both players look past their prime and were nothing like the players that they were. Inter were facing difficulties seeing out leads or getting punished by the first attack on our goal. The toothlessness of Inter’s attack and costly mistakes by Vidal especially meant an early than expected exit from the Champions League, finishing bottom of the group. With only the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia left to play, if this season was not to be deemed a failure, Conte needed to win the Scudetto at all costs.

Frustration At the Start of 2021

At the start of 2021, we faced Sampdoria at the Marassi. We missed an incredible amount of chances in that match and were punished twice on the counter-attack. A week after, we travelled to Stadio Olimpico to play against Roma. That was the match that I felt most frustrated by. We responded very well to going 0-1 down to overturn the result. Instead of pressing home to score more, we made some defensive substitutions to see out the result and paid the price with the concession of a Roma equaliser. At that stage, we were not a team that could see out a result. We were a team for whom attack was the best form of defence.

Turning Point

The turning point for me was when we produced a dominant performance to beat Juventus 2-0 at home. Our first win against at that time, the serial reigning champions since the 2016-17 season. That victory I felt gave the team belief of their strength. We were knocked out by the same opponents in the semi-final of the Coppa Italia but that didn’t deter us in the league. The last time we dropped points in the league was away to Udinese after beating Juventus. It wasn’t a good sign as it was no good winning a big game and then dropping points in the next match which was a bread and butter match. Inter went up a gear when they beat Milan 3-0 in the Derby Della Madonnina. That win preceded a 3-1 win at home against Lazio.

Title-Winning Doubts Dispelled

From that win over Milan onwards, several doubts were dispelled. We showed an ability to win ugly and an ability to see out a result. Samir Handanovic was heavily criticised for being a “statue” and he was conceding from half the shots on target. From Milan onwards, the Handanovic of old, the Superman came to the fore. There were some errors from him in the run-up to the Scudetto but nothing detrimental. Another crucial development was the resurgence of Christian Eriksen. He came off the bench to score Inter’s winner in the Coppa Italia quarter-final against Milan and that gave his struggling Inter career new life. He found a home as part of a three-man midfield alongside Nicolo Barella and Marcelo Brozovic. Another important figure to emerge was one of the summer signings, Darmian. Throughout the season, he has been a reliable player, performing well whenever called upon. In the run-in to the league title, he chipped with a match-winner twice. Inter went on eking out results with incredible consistency to confirm the Scudetto. We could have ended the season unbeaten had it not been for a controversial defeat to Juventus.

Uncertain Future

Now that the Scudetto is secured and celebrations are over, preparations can start for next season. Since the confirmation of the Scudetto, reports have emerged of the financial predicament the Suning Group find itself in. The future is uncertain for the manager and the players. Conte is seeking reassurances that he can take this project to the next level. The players are being asked to take a pay cut. It has emerged that to sign players, we need to sell players and there is a fear of losing our best players. It is a pity if all the good work done in 5 years by the Suning Group is gone to waste. The players in the team especially the core players are of the right age to build on this triumph for further dominance. It will be a pity for the squad to be broken up now. Here’s to hoping and praying for a positive resolution and bright future.