In their first direct collision of the campaign, Juventus and Inter both seemed more intent on avoiding a draw rather than aiming for a win.
Therefore, the two sides breathed a sigh of relief when the final whistle blew to announce a 1-1 draw. The Nerazzurri secured a precious point away from home while maintaining their lead, and the Bianconeri kept their undefeated run intact while hosting the ultimate Scudetto favorites.
Perhaps this wasn’t the most exciting narrative, but a rather tepid chapter in the Cold War between Contanissa and Appiano Gentile.
So while the action itself didn’t allow us to draw too many major conclusions, here are three takeaways from last night’s Derby d’Italia.
Juventus Pay Dearly For Uncharacteristic Approach
In yesterday’s keys to victory, we specifically underlined the importance of maintaining the defensive lines and resisting the temptation of chasing Inter players all over the field to avoid creating pockets of spaces at the back for Lautaro Martinez and company.
So when Dusan Vlahovic gave the Bianconeri the lead, we thought this would be a no-brainer given how deep Max Allegri tends to defend on these occasions, (remember the win over Fiorentina?)
Yet, the Bianconeri stars decided to abandon their positions and press high, which proved to be a deadly folly. Every single Juventus player was second to the ball in the build-up to the equalizer.
Many would blame Federico Gatti for losing track of Lautaro, but Daniele Rugani is the biggest culprit since he was the one who broke the line, going for a desperate sliding tackle in the middle of the pitch which left his teammates at the back in a two-on-two situation against the ultra-dangerous Inter striking duo.
In the end, Allegri reverted to his old ways in the second half, preserving the result, but the damage was already done.
Glass Half-Full For Nicolussi Caviglia
As fate would have it, Nicolussi Caviglia, who has been at Juventus since the age of seven, finally earned his full debut in the toughest fixture of the season.
Therefore, any shortcoming on the midfielder’s part should be understood, or rather expected, especially due to his lack of minutes this season and the magnitude of his initial test. At one point, during the second half, the Italian obviously lost his composure and was easily dispossessed on consecutive instances.
Nevertheless, the more worrying aspect might be his physical strength, as he seemed to be struggling to cope with the opposition’s pace, strength and stamina.
So while we were all delighted to see the Juventus youth product occupying the Regista role against Inter, he’ll have to deliver improved displays, both technically and physically to justify his spot at the club.
Juventus Miss Cuadrado
Underneath the deafening jeers and unnecessary insults, one could almost hear the sound of Juventus fans longing for a winger like Juan Cuadrado.
At the age of 35 and having just returned from injury, the Colombian still showcased the type of tricks and flicks that the Bianconeri are dearly missing on the wings this season.
Moise Kean, Alex Sandro and Filip Kostic were all struggling to contain their former teammate who was skipping past them with ease.
While the raucous whistles were supposed to derange him, they only seemed to be fueling the veteran’s desire to make an impact at the Stadium that witnessed his unforgettable goals and ensuing dancing celebrations.
With Cuadrado gone, the only Juventus wingback capable of beating his marker and causing havoc on the flank might be Samuel Iling-Junior, yet, he’s been left to rot on the bench…