UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUEMost keepers of theNerazzurrifaith
would concur that 2019-20 was Inter’s
best season for a decade. Spearheaded
by the prolific front line of Romelu Lukaku
and Lautaro Martinez, the men in the
black-and-blue stripes frequently proved
irresistible, coming within a whisker of
beatingJuve to the Serie A crown and
making lots of headway in the Europa
League, losing 3-2 in the final to Sevilla.
Strange then that coach Antonio Conte
was visibly disgruntled at the end of the
campaign, claiming that the club had
offered him “little protection”. Rumours
abounded during the summer that he
was about to walk away, though all would
calm down again following a face-to-face
with club president Steven Zhang.
As a consequence of the summit,
Conte has taken control of Inter’s transfer
plans. For the most part, his picks have
been senior service types: 33-year-old
Chilean all-action midfielder Arturo Vidal
(ex-Barca), Serbian left-back Aleksandar
Kolarov (34, Roma) and another high-
profile Chilean in attacker Alexis Sanchez,
who has now sealed a permanent deal.
Probably Inter’s wisest move, though,
was capturing 21-year-old Morocco wing-
Early this year, the word in the Spanish
press was that long-serving Atletico
coach Diego Simeone was losing his
once-iron grip on the dressing room,
that a number of players were rebelling
against his ultra-demanding physical
conditioning regime and safety-first
tactics. Was it the beginning of the end?
Not a bit of it. In March, his warrior crew
famously beat holders Liverpool home
andawayintheroundof16andthe
Colchonerosproved equally resilient in
the latter stages of La Liga, recovering
from a mediocre start to secure a third-
place finish. Simeone came in for a lot of
criticism in the wake of his side’s surprise
Champions League quarter-final defeat
to RB Leipzig, with many claiming he
had got his team selection wrong. Not
that Simeone is going anywhere. After
leading Atletico to some of their finest
hours - the La Liga title in 2013-14 and
Champions League runner-up spots in
2013-14 and 2015-16 - he still has more
than sufficient credit left in the bank.
The signing of Barcelona’s unwanted
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez could be
just what the doctor ordered. Costing a
mere€6m, Suarez, 33, plainly has a
point to prove following his Nou Camp
INTERNAZIONALE
Conte trying to build on last termdefenestration. Last season, Atleti often
lacked punch in the red zone. Suarez,
a 30-goal-a-season man, looks like
the patent remedy.
All at Atletico will be keeping their
fingers crossed that Portuguese attacking
boy wonderJoao Felix makes more of
a contribution this term. Felix, the club’s
most expensive-ever player - bought
from Benfica in the summer of 2019
for€127m - only produced in fits and
starts in 2019-20. Will class prevail?What must be Simeone’s number
one priority in the months ahead?
Defensively Atletico did not perform
to their usual bank vault standards
last season. Forming an impenetrable
rearguard barrier is page one of the
Simeone gospel and he will be at pains
to repair the holes which opened up
from time to time in 2019-20.Is bad boy Diego Costa finished now
that Luis Suarez has been signed?
Not necessarily. Simeone may well
deploy both in what would be a mean
and combative forward-line combo. In
this set up,Joao Felix would move out
to the wing. Alternatively Costa could
be used as impact-substitute mode.Apart from goalkeeper Jan Oblak
and Suarez, who are the other
untouchables in the team?
Undoubtedly the central midfield duo
of Koke and Saul. Much of Atletico’s
effectiveness flows through them.
The pair are key to the pressing game
in that central zone and provide much
of the team’s drive, fluidity and tactical
awareness transitioning from defence
to attack. If they are standing, they play.back Achraf Hakimi. During a two-year
loan spell at Dortmund from Real Madrid,
he developed into a quite sensational
performer, especially valuable when
bursting forward on the counter-attack.Why does Antonio Conte often end
up falling out with his employers?
That is the perfectionist nature of the
man. He is not nicknamed “The Hammer”
for nothing. He is uncompromising, he
speaks his mind and if he has a problem
with boardroom decisions, he tends to
air them publicly. In his binary world,
you are either with him or against him.What’s happened to Christian Eriksen?
If the Denmark playmaker, a€20m
signing fromTottenham early this year, is
struggling for big-match game time, it’s
principally because he does not fit the
Inter system. Conte wants all-action
types in the middle of the park who put
in a defensive shift. Out of possession,
Eriksen can be found wanting.HowwillInterfillthehugevoidif
Lukaku or Martinez are unavailable?
The call will go out to 21-year-old
back-up striker Andrea Pinamonti,
whom Inter recently reacquired from
Genoa. Pinamonti, very impressive for
Italy’s Under-20s at the 2019 World
Cup, is already on the radar of
Azzurriboss Roberto Mancini.ATLETICO MADRID
Simeone’s charges are ready for war
Super strikeforce...
Lautaro and LukakuCOACH
Diego Simeone
The uncompromising
El Cholois the man
with the Midas touch,
who can turn a team
of supposed inferior
quality into victors.
His philosophy will
never change:
counter-attacking
wiles, defensive
compactness, set-
piece prowess and an
underdog mentality.
KEY MAN
Jan Oblak
The Slovenian has
to be one of the top
three goalkeepers
in the world. In
sensational form for
Atleti last season, he
is worth every penny
of his€120 million
release clause.
YOUNGSTER
TO WATCH
Renan Lodi
22-year-old
Brazilian left-back
who since arriving in
the Spanish capital
last year, has added
defensive rigour to
his exceptional ability
on the overlap.COACH
Antonio Conte
A tactical obsessive
withaneyeforthe
minutest of details,
a supreme motivator
and totally dedicated
to winning. Wherever
he has taken charge
he has delivered wins
and a much-improved
collective and
individual output.
KEYMAN
Romelu Lukaku
Something of a
disappointment
during his time at
Manchester United,
the bustling Belgian
striker has looked far
more sleeker, willing
and effective since
joining Inter.
YOUNGSTER
TO WATCH
Alessandro Bastoni
21-year-old central
defender, who cost
€33 million when
Inter signed him
from Atalanta three
years ago. Matured
a great deal during
a loan stint at Parma.Suarez...New
challenge