Serie A 2019/20: Inter vs Sassuolo – tactical analysis

Matchweek 27 of Serie A saw Inter host Sassuolo at the San Siro on 24^th June 2020. Inter resumed their campaign after the league restart with a 2-1 win over Sampdoria, while Sassuolo’s first game after the restart ended in a thumping 4-1 loss to Atalanta. The reverse fixture, played back in October 2019, was a seven-goal thriller that saw Inter score four to Sassuolo’s three. This tactical analysis brings to light the tactics and plays that both the teams applied in the game.

The fixture was another goal-scoring fest, ending 3-3, arguably in favour of Sassuolo who came back from behind twice in the game. Sassuolo have been Inter’s bogey team since 2013, having beaten them seven times in their last thirteen meetings. The game was billed as absolutely critical for Inter if they wanted to stay alive in the title race. Unfortunately for them, they faltered owing to some questionable tactics and application. This analysis attempts to highlight a few of those.

Line-ups

Despite making wholesale changes from the previous game, Inter (5) and Sassuolo (7), both Inter and Sassuolo lined up in their respective favoured formations.

Antonio Conte set his team tactics in a formation he’s used for 67.7% of the playtime, 3 – 5 – 2. S. Samir Handanovič started in goal with a back three of Milan Škriniar, Andrea Ranocchia and Alessandro Bastoni. Victor Moses and Cristiano Biraghi started as wing-backs alongside a midfield duo of Roberto Gagliardini and Borja Valero. Christian Eriksen played in front of the midfield in support to the forward pairing of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sánchez.