Consistent partnerships key for the two sides
With both teams making minor alterations due to injuries and players returning to their respective sides, some had to acclimatise to different personnel performing alongside them.
One such partnership that was forged was that of Chilean midfield workhorse Gary Medel, who was tasked with performing at centre-back and tough-tackling central defender Jeison Murillo. The pair, Murillo in particular, looked shaky early on as Adriano and Carlos Bacca carved through them multiple times in the first half. As the game went on, however, things began to come together for the two South Americans, and they were able to keep a clean sheet.
Another new partnership that did not perform up to the standard that was anticipated was that of club captain Mauro Icardi and Stevan Jovetic.
Jovetic has been one of Inter’s best players in their opening two games of the new campaign, though failed to click with last season’s joint-top-scorer Icardi. There were times when the pair did not seem to be on the same wavelength and ended up wasting possession when attempting to link up. In saying this, Icardi nearly scored in the dying second’s of the first half following a deft lobbed pass from Jovetic, and in time the two will become more than a fearsome proposition for opposition defenders.
On the other side of the fence, one such partnership appears to be gelling quite nicely. That, of course, includes two prolific South American front-men in the form of Adriano and Bacca.
It was more prevalent in the first half when Inter were still unorganised defensively, but the two strikers once again linked up well and nearly aided each other in slotting the ball past Samir Handanovic in goal for Inter.
In saying this, however, Milan as a whole fail to create enough chances to trouble opponents and more service from midfield will be needed in order for the pair to flourish. Mario Balotelli’s second coming may also interrupt any progress made between the two.
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