While the Derby d’Italia hardly needs sub-plots, Juan Cuadrado was at the very center of attention in his first appearance at the Allianz Stadium since leaving Juventus in the summer.
The Colombian’s free transfer to Inter left a sour taste in the mouths of the Bianconeri supporters who voiced their irritation towards their hero-turned-villain following his introduction in the 70th minute.
Nevertheless, the deafening whistles surely didn’t affect the 35-year-old’s performance, as his former Juventus teammates were struggling to contain him on the right wing, and had to foul him on a few occasions.
Interestingly, the veteran had just made his return from an Achilles tendon injury sustained in September. He initially made a brief return in October before suffering a relapse that kept him out of action since Inter’s draw against Bologna.
But as Tuttosport (via JuventusNews24) tells it, Cuadrado hasn’t fully recovered yet from his injury, but was eager to make his return against his former employers.
The Turin-based newspaper notes that the winger won’t start in Inter’s Champions League encounter against Benfica on Wednesday, even though Simone Inzaghi is planning to field some of the players who haven’t been featuring regularly since the Nerazzurri have already secured qualification to the Round of 16.
The next few days should be revealing enough on this particular front, as we’ll learn more about the player’s condition.
Cuadrado spent eight years at Juventus, establishing himself as a favorite among the club’s supporters, especially for his exploits in several editions of the Derby d’Italia.
