Inter drop 2-1 decision to Nurnberg at Brunico

A goal in the 65^th minute by Éder was not enough as Inter Milan dropped a 2-1 preseason friendly decision to Nurnberg at their camp in Riscone di Brunico Saturday.

“We began 10 days ago and we're still at the start of our work,” said Inter boss Luciano Spalletti following the match. “We found it quite hard today because we're only just starting to get going again and we need to evaluate the physical work we're doing carefully.”

The Bundesliga 2 side picked up two goals in the span of six minutes in the second half to take a 2-0 lead.

Rúrik Gíslason picked up the first goal for Nurnburg in the 55^th minute, putting ball past substitute goalkeeper Daniele Padelli. Gíslason came on in the 46^th minute as a substitute for Nurnburg.

In the 61^st minute, Mikael Ishak — who came on just two minutes before as a sub — scored the second goal for the team that finished 13^th in the German second division last year.

The Nerazzurri responded after Gabriel Barbosa found Éder who found the back of the net past Nurnberg goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow.

Following a 2-1 win over Austrian side WSG Wattens on July 9 — a game that saw Primavera star Andrea Pinamoni find the net early — the Nerazzurri will return to Milan before departing for China on Tuesday to begin the International Champions Cup in China and Singapore.

Spalletti said the close proximity of games in Asia will allow the team’s fitness to be improved upon as “we'll have to change things around with all the games so close together.”

He didn’t flinch when addressing Inter’s Mercato activity, which beside the addition of Borja Valero from Fiorentina and Milan Skriniar from Sampdoria, has been relatively dormant. The Nerazzurri are locked in a battle over transfer fee for Ivan Perisic — who was out of Saturday’s friendly with a dental issue — and have been strongly linked (and we use that term loosely) to Nice left-back Dalbert and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic.

“I'm calm about our transfer business. We'll bring in the players we need. You have to consider lots of variables and look at what you can change as you go along. You have to do things in the right order. Negotiations can take time to get off the ground.

“We have some great players here and we'll sign more. We can certainly aim for the top four and the players we'll bring in will help us in that respect.”

- Spalletti on transfers

Inter will take on Schalke 04 on July 21 at Changzhou before facing Olympique Lyon at Nanjing on July 24. Three days later, the Nerazzurri will play Bayern Munich in Singapore then wrap up their Asian tour with a match against Chelsea in Singapore on July 29.

Preseason friendly

July 15, 2017

At Riscone di Brunico

Nurnberg 2, Inter 1

Nurnberg 0 2 – 2

Inter Milan 0 1 – 1

Goals: First half — none. Second half — Gíslason 55 (FCN), Ishak 61 (FCN), Éder 65 (INT)

Lineups

Inter Milan: Handanovic (Padelli 46); D'Ambrosio (Skriniar 77), Skriniar (Ranocchia 46), Miranda (Murillo 46), Vanheusden (Nagatomo 46); Borja Valero (Gagliardini 46), Kondogbia (Biabiany 67); Candreva (Barbosa 46), Brozovic, Biabiany (Joao Mario 46); Eder.

Subs not used: Berni, Pissardo, Jovetic, Rivas, Pinamonti.

Coach: Luciano Spalletti.

Nurnberg: Bredlow, Salli (Ishak 59), Zrelak (Gislason 46), Mohwald (Teuchert 72), Krek (Sabir 62), Behrens (Jager 77), Valentini (Brecko 77), Leibold, Petrak, Lowen, Kammerbauer (Margreietter 46).

Subs not used: Kirschbaum, Hufnagel, Fuchs, Alushi.

Coach: Michael Kollner.

International Summer Tour 2017

July 21 — Inter vs. Schalke 04 (at Changzhou)

July 24 — Inter vs. Olympique Lyon (at Nanjing)

July 27 — Inter vs. Bayern Munich (at Singapore)

July 29 — Inter vs. Chelsea (at Singapore)

Aug. 6 — Inter vs. Villareal (at Riviera Delle Palme)

Aug. 12 — Inter vs. Real Betis (at Stadio Via del Mare)