After losing the first matchday of Brazil’s 2022 Série A, Internacional made the controversial decision to sack Uruguayan manager Alexander Medina. Only winning six of their first 17 matches of the season, the Porto Alegre side decided, prematurely in many people’s minds, to change directions.
Medina’s replacement, Mano Menezes, is a traditional Brazilian manager with nearly 20 years of managerial experience. This decision was cause for concern, as the strategy behind appointing Mano was the complete opposite of the one adopted a few months earlier. Nonetheless, in hindsight, it proved to be the correct one.
Menezes is considered by many an outdated manager in Brazilian football, similar to the way former Everton and West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is viewed in the Premier League. That general perception, however, has proven entirely inaccurate. Now a very difficult team to face, Internacional currently sit sixth in the Série A battling for Libertadores qualification.
The 60-year-old manager has introduced organisation and stability to Beira-Rio. With transitional play and purposeful possession, Internacional have one of the best attacks in Série A. Most notably, they have recently defeated current champions Atlético Mineiro 3-0 and Chile’s Colo Colo 4-1.
In this tactical analysis, we will examine the tactics behind Internacional’s recent success under Mano Menezes. This analysis will not only explore the structure through which they play but also their behaviour with and without the ball.
Formations
Though there are a few key players Mano Menezes tends to constantly change in his starting eleven. Internacional’s squad is relatively diverse, with players having different individual characteristics. This proves essential, as Mano is a manager who likes to adapt to opponents. Additionally, players like former Shakthar Donetsk duo, Alan Patrick and Taison, have been in and out of the squad due to injury. Brazil’s exhausting schedule has been another factor behind this rotation.
At any rate, Mano is a very adaptable manager. Consequently, as seen below, the formation is constantly changing. The 4-2-3-1 has been the most used shape, but even then, the in-game structure will vary depending on the players. Other formations like the 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, 4-3-3, and others have also been used.
The overall structure, though, is usually very narrow. Under Mano, Inter’s width is often maintained by the fullbacks while attacking players will overload the central lanes. Additionally, there are a few key players worth mentioning.
Fabricio Bustos has been the go-to right-back, especially after Heitor’s departure to Cercle Brugge. While Gabriel Mercado and Vitão tend to be the centre-back duo, others have also featured. The midfield trio of Gabriel, Carlos De Pena, and Edenílson are essential to how they play and is perhaps the most solid part of the team. Finally, their forwards have very distinct characteristics, but Alemão has been Mano’s trusted number nine.
