Serpents of Madonnina - Inter Milan vs. Sassoulo, 2:20 p.m. (ET), Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018An Inter Milan community.2018-08-20T19:19:07+02:00http://www.serpentsofmadonnina.com/rss/stream/175209092018-08-20T19:19:07+02:002018-08-20T19:19:07+02:005 takeaways: Sassuolo vs Inter Milan
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<img alt="US Sassuolo v FC Internazionale - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OHdpqm9zr9W0Ku64Dc0IEnoHNRY=/0x160:2838x2052/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60955971/1019519628.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>What we learned after a tough loss</p> <p id="c0OEP2">It really wasn’t the way <a href="https://www.serpentsofmadonnina.com/">Inter Milan</a> wanted to start the season, but there is a lot we can learn from the 1-0 loss at <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/sassuolo">Sassuolo</a>.</p>
<p id="vWOPiC">Here are our five takeaways from the season-opener.</p>
<h2 id="vKGG3o">We desperately need midfield quality</h2>
<p id="bAbgle">In this loss, there are many things to critique. The most obvious problem was the lack of presence in the midfield. Matias Vecino and Marcelo Brozovic were both decent defensively. </p>
<p id="6kUQrg">However, I lost count of the poor passes and turnovers. The first half was particularly bad. There was absolutely no creativity from the midfield and build-up play was nonexistent due to this. We can lump Lautaro Martinez into this discussion as well. Lautaro started this game in the attacking mid position behind <span>Mauro Icardi</span>. </p>
<p id="EDlSAG">Martinez showed signs of flair and creativity but I believe he is at his best when he only needs to make one or two touches before firing at goal. My gripe with Lautaro in this position is that he tends to go down easily or look for a foul when he should be making the decisive pass to create scoring chances. It is now apparent more than ever that Inter need a creative playmaker in the center of the midfield. Obviously, <span>Radja Nainggolan</span> was massively missed as he continues to get back to health (and scope out ladies). The hope is that his inclusion to the lineup will inject life into the midfield. If that doesn’t solve the problem, we will be looking forward to the January <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/transfer-rumors">transfer window</a> earlier than ever.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The camerman just snitched on Nainggolan. <a href="https://t.co/2XC2jx63XT">pic.twitter.com/2XC2jx63XT</a></p>— FutbolBible (@FutbolBible) <a href="https://twitter.com/FutbolBible/status/1031269271308038145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="l4ToAU">
<span>Kwadwo Asamoah</span> is our left back</h2>
<p id="k7irxp">Today we saw an experimental lineup by Luciano Spalletti. With Ivan Perisic still not at full fitness, Asamoah took his place on the wing. That left you know who in the left back spot, Henrique Dalbert. </p>
<p id="s1rWAb">Boy oh boy... it did not take long for Sassuolo to take advantage of that. Dalbert simply did not have the quality today to deserve a spot in the starting squad. <span>Domenico Berardi</span> flat-out used him in the first half. If it wasn’t for some heroics by Joao Miranda and Samir Handanovic, we could be looking at a far worse scoreline due to Dalbert. </p>
<p id="Nws7CK">Spalletti quickly remedied this issue at the half by bringing in Perisic and pushing Asamoah back. The left side was far more productive and far less porous in the second half after the switch. Moving forward, let’s hope Spalletti keeps it that way.</p>
<h2 id="m8mqhw">Fitness is an issue</h2>
<p id="kCx3OL">The opening week of the season always brings surprises. There are new faces in new places, refs returning to action, and players not at peak fitness. </p>
<p id="2Npgzr">For the <em>Nerazzurri</em>, we knew of this issue going into the day. Several starters were benched as they were unready for competition. Others who did start looked unready for the match as well, whether it was fitness, rust, or too many off-season beers. The sloppy pitch did no favors for the two sides either. </p>
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<img alt="US Sassuolo v FC Internazionale - Serie A" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zSNW2LOH0NDkagIb9wuVX3MYK24=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12317459/1019577878.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</cite>
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<h2 id="X9zXjR">Matteo Politano was a great signing</h2>
<p id="DMrdcS">One of the lone bright spots of this match was the play of Matteo Politano. Perhaps it was the motivation of playing his former team, but the Italian looked pretty darn good out there on the right. </p>
<p id="27FYcU">While most of the team was sloppy and dull, Politano looked dangerous on the attack. His slashing runs in toward the box were some of the only moments of excitement for Inter fans today. The touch and footwork on that right side was great. His passes were mostly crisp and his shots, while inaccurate at times, had some venom to them. </p>
<p id="Os8xMw">In addition to all of that, he looks to be worth the money for his set piece deliveries alone. Overall, there was some really promising stuff from this young man and for that he would be my man of the match. I’m looking forward to seeing Politano, Lautaro Martinez, and Keita Balde all light it up with Icardi this season.</p>
<h2 id="oVf48i">Luciano Spalletti has work to do</h2>
<p id="CnQM83">The loss to Sassuolo showed plenty of flaws in the team. </p>
<p id="ijPT8O">The good news is that most of these problems can be solved through training, coaching, and tactics. I have total faith in Spalletti to get the team’s head right, their fitness up, and the lineup optimized. </p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="PEiup9">There are very high hopes for this campaign from the Inter faithful, but it clearly won’t be easy. After signing a three-year contract extension earlier this week, the manager must still prove his worth and turn things around quick. I’m already looking forward to the next week and seeing an invigorated Inter Milan.</p>
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<p id="qVfyQ9"><em>What do you think? Post your comments below!</em></p>
https://www.serpentsofmadonnina.com/2018/8/20/17757024/5-takeaways-sassuolo-vs-inter-milan-serie-a-internazionale-milanoCam Nelson2018-08-20T00:04:50+02:002018-08-20T00:04:50+02:00Man of the Match: Sassuolo vs. Inter Milan
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<figcaption>Matteo Politano of FC Internazionale kicks the ball during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and FC Internazionale at Mapei Stadium - Citta’ del Tricolore on August 19, 2018 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy. | Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Who was the stand-out in a season-opening loss?</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap" id="Hb5xEq">It may have not been the start Inter Milan may have wanted, but that isn’t to say there were some standout performances. With that, we look at the potential Man of the Match. Of course, you can give us your thoughts in the comments below.</p>
<h2 id="UYyHB9">The Candidates: </h2>
<p id="aAolkZ"><br>Lautaro Martinez, Matteo Politano, Stefan de Vrij, Ivan Perisic, <span>Kwadwo Asamoah</span><br><br>Wow that wasn’t the start we were hoping for, that being said let’s analyse the performances of our candidates for man of the match.<br><br><strong>Lautaro Martinez</strong><br><br>Much was expected from Lautaro coming into this match. He has been arguably our best player in pre-season and many an Interista would have hoped that this would transition into the ‘real’ football when the season started. Lautaro did not have a bad match by any means but if he thought Serie A would be a walk in the park and he would simply come out and strut his stuff this match will have been a rude awakening for him.<br><br><strong>Matteo Politano </strong><br><br>Matteo ran his socks off for the team. Tried desperately to create something with his crosses and beat his marker on several occasions. An immediate upgrade on Candreva but unfortunately lacking that final end product today. His shooting boots have been missing all pre-season and it was no different in this match. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that he finds them soon. </p>
<p id="mzapuD"><strong>Kwadwo Asamoah</strong></p>
<p id="MmBv71">The Ghanaian utility man put through Icardi on goal early on and was taken down for what many would consider a penalty as deserving as Miranda’s. In the second half he was asked to show his reputable versatility by changing from the wing to left back and he did so with ease. He was probably one of the most fouled and of all of the players on the field today Asamoah kept his good form and picked up where he left off in pre-season. </p>
<p id="BryiP2"><strong>Stefan de Vrij</strong></p>
<p id="GFjTe3">Hardly put a foot wrong defensively compared to the sometimes lacklustre Miranda. Neither defender came out of the defense with as much composure as Milan Skriniar and he was sorely missed in our build-up play today. That being said he almost scored at the end and looked comfortable in the defense for the most part.<br><br><strong>Ivan Perisic </strong></p>
<p id="LUSxKy">Came on as a substitute in the second half and immediately teed up <span>Mauro Icardi</span> with a score-able ball. Changed the dynamic of our attack and gave it much more presence. Maybe too little time for him to make a bigger difference. </p>
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<h2 id="4Nftrg">Man of the Match</h2>
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<img alt="US Sassuolo v FC Internazionale - Serie A" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rR7xqX12uFMcf82KwEC5q4EDDP8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12317401/1019582550.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Alfred Duncan of US Sassuolo and Kwadwo Asamoah of FC Internazionale in action during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and FC Internazionale at Mapei Stadium - Citta’ del Tricolore on August 19, 2018 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy.</figcaption>
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<p class="c-end-para" id="HEAafp"><strong>Kwadwo Asamoah</strong><br><br>This match was begging for a moment of magic and nobody delivered. The best of the bunch for me was Kwadwo Asamoah. It is not his job to be the creative force in the team yet he did enough during the game to have changed it. He led by example with a calm and assured display. It is unfortunate that his strong performance did not aid in leading his team to a draw or victory.</p>
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<p id="CBKl9H"><em>What do you think? Post your comments below!</em></p>
https://www.serpentsofmadonnina.com/2018/8/20/17757008/man-of-the-match-sassuolo-vs-inter-milan-serie-a-internazionale-milano-asamoah-martinez-perisicR.M. TAFARI2018-08-19T22:29:21+02:002018-08-19T22:29:21+02:00Absent Attack: Inter Milan falls 1-0 in opener at Sassuolo
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<img alt="US Sassuolo v FC Internazionale - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pkGcSwfU9fUW3jRyFc1StDWWNv0=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60946545/1019525792.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mauro Icardi of FC Internazionale and Gian Marco Ferrari of US Sassuolo in action during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and FC Internazionale at Mapei Stadium - Citta’ del Tricolore on August 19, 2018 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy. | Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p><em>Nerazzurri</em> vaulted attack fails to connect at Mapei Stadium.</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap" id="6Y834h">All eyes were on <a href="https://www.serpentsofmadonnina.com/">Inter Milan</a> in their season opener at US <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/sassuolo">Sassuolo</a>. More particularly, eyes were looking to see just how Inter’s new acquisitions would work together on the pitch.</p>
<p id="Ypo4Fg">Keep in mind, it is just the first game, but the eyes might have been a bit disappointed as Inter Milan played <span>Mauro Icardi</span>, Lautaro Martinez, Matteo Politano and eventually Ivan Perisic to no avail as a penalty in the first half gave Sassuolo all three points Sunday with a 1-0 win at the Mapei Stadium.</p>
<p id="by5uRx">It is the third straight season-opening clean sheets for Sassuolo and the seventh win in 11 matches against Inter Milan.</p>
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<img alt="US Sassuolo v FC Internazionale - Serie A" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DsuoaD4OJCxRN55zmiyeOQ7kUZk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12317099/1019557976.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Ivan Perisic of FC Internazionale and Alfred Duncan of US Sassuolo competes for the ball during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and FC Internazionale at Mapei Stadium - Citta’ del Tricolore on August 19, 2018 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy.</figcaption>
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<p id="ZWXtbJ">The first half seemed like Inter could not connect on anything. Poor passing, misplayed marking and shoddy overall performance seemed to doom the <em>Nerazzurri</em> from the start.</p>
<p id="kx8ESB">After a lackluster start to the game, Inter Milan came out with a little more intensity in the second half.</p>
<p id="TFwRZn">Down 1-0 after a first-half penalty by Dominico Berardi, <em>Nerazzurri</em> boss Luciano Spalletti brought in Ivan Perisic — who did not start — for Dalbert as Spalletti went to a back three defensively and moving <span>Kwadwo Asamoah</span> further up front.</p>
<p id="XzAWu6">Perisic — who was resting following his <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/fifa-world-cup">World Cup</a> performance — started to make an impact up front, testing <span>Andrea Consigli</span> in the 47<sup>th</sup> minute.</p>
<p id="EpvNwK">Marcelo Brozovic — who started in midfield along with Matias Vecino — drilled a shot off his right foot following a great display of skill by Asamoah in the 57<sup>th</sup> minute., but Brozovic’s attempt sailed into the fifth-row of the stands.</p>
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<img alt="US Sassuolo v FC Internazionale - Serie A" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eiSmvMe-7MxtNyF0_uECbmi5CBs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12317105/1019539882.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Danilo D’Ambrosio of FC Internazionale in action during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and FC Internazionale at Mapei Stadium - Citta’ del Tricolore on August 19, 2018 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy.</figcaption>
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<p id="mqEDpx">Three minutes later, Matteo Politano drilled a delivery way outside the area against his former team, but his shot went well wide of Consigli.</p>
<p id="gTywio">Kevin-Prince Boateng nearly doubled Sassuolo’s lead in the 65<sup>th</sup> minute with a nice look in front of the net, but Samir Handanovic poked the shot away.</p>
<p id="tnGTEQ">On the counter, Perisic connected with Mauro Icardi in front of Consigli, but like Boateng, Icardi’s delivery couldn’t find the back of the net.</p>
<p id="Hb62N2">In the 80<sup>th</sup> minute, a free kick by Perisic found its way into the area, but Stefan De Vrij was whistled for a foul after trying to take down his mark.</p>
<p id="WHvUlY">De Virj nearly equalized in the 90<sup>th</sup> minute, but his header off a long pass was pushed aside by Consigli.</p>
<p id="Ux8McD">Within the first three minutes of the match, it was Sassuolo who attempted to press offensively as Mehdi Bourabia found an open lane down the left side and tested Samir Handanovic, but the Inter keeper was able to poke the shot aside and out of danger.</p>
<p id="oBnuI7">Inter did recover with a strong counterattack but former Sporting standout Lautaro Martinez was tripped at midfield by Alfred Duncan. The subsequent free kick, found Mauro Icardi in the area, but his header was just off the mark in the seventh minute.</p>
<p id="4rF4Pq">The <em>Nerazzurri</em> defense — playing without Milan Skriniar — continued to be tested, but the combination of Stefan De Virj, Miranda, Dalbert and <span>Danilo D’Ambrosio</span> was able to turn back early attempts at goal.</p>
<p id="4BBFm1">The biggest concern over the first 10 minutes of the half was the fact that Inter’s offense — lauded with Martinez and Icardi starting — failed to mount any serious threat to Sassuolo.</p>
<p id="6fa1ut">Another concern came by way of the Inter midfield. Spalletti elected to start Marcelo Brozovic and Matias Vecino in the center, but in the first 20 minutes of the match, the midfield was rife with dispossessions, poor passing and ineffective ball movement. </p>
<p id="rENn7Y">In the 25<sup>th</sup> minute, Inter’s mistakes finally caught up with them as Miranda drew a yellow card after fouling Federico Di Francesco in the area, resulting in a penalty.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sassuolo shock for <a href="https://twitter.com/Inter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Inter</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/SassuoloUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SassuoloUS</a> take the lead through Domenico Berardi's penalty.<br><br>See if the 18x <a href="https://twitter.com/SerieA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SerieA</a> champions can come back live on Strive <a href="https://t.co/MWCOlwvfMw">https://t.co/MWCOlwvfMw</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/liveonstrive?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#liveonstrive</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SassuoloInter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SassuoloInter</a> <a href="https://t.co/t5uPydngn8">pic.twitter.com/t5uPydngn8</a></p>— Strive Sport (@StriveFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/StriveFootball/status/1031257426912264192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2018</a>
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<p id="cYISVN">Berardi buried the penalty kick to give Sassoulo a 1-0 lead in the 28<sup>th</sup> minute.</p>
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<p lang="es" dir="ltr">Sassuolo enseñando que no es necesario tener grandes estrellas para ser efectivo. El Inter dando pena. Es más peligroso el Sassuolo.<br><br>Gol de Berardi de penal para el 1-0. <a href="https://t.co/1xhFr6myVt">pic.twitter.com/1xhFr6myVt</a></p>— Çalhanoğluismo (@adeptofdivinity) <a href="https://twitter.com/adeptofdivinity/status/1031261366575878144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2018</a>
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<p id="oWyl6P">Near the end of the first half, Asamoah looked to draw a penalty in the Sassuolo area, but there was no call and Inter went into halftime down 1-0.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Is that a penalty? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SassuoloInter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SassuoloInter</a> <a href="https://t.co/bM6xlCPEDI">pic.twitter.com/bM6xlCPEDI</a></p>— InterYaSkriniar (@InterYaSkriniar) <a href="https://twitter.com/InterYaSkriniar/status/1031260037644251136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2018</a>
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<p class="c-end-para" id="Xq5UJq">Inter will now prepare for its home opener at the San Siro at 2:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, Aug. 26 as they will host <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/torino">Torino</a>, who lost 1-0 to <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com/">AS Roma</a> on the opening day.</p>
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<p id="wO1CAp"><em>What do you think? Post your comments below!</em></p>
https://www.serpentsofmadonnina.com/2018/8/19/17756920/absent-attack-inter-milan-falls-1-0-in-opener-at-sassuolo-serie-a-internazionale-milanoM.A. Clark2018-08-19T00:30:02+02:002018-08-19T00:30:02+02:00Sassuolo vs Inter Milan: Match preview, ways to watch & live match thread
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<img alt="FC Internazionale v US Sassuolo - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HIJ1zdzmWJXyeDOCILHXJGyN0x4=/0x0:5489x3659/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60938479/957746736.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>It’s time to get going again.</p> <p id="Uf6p6M">91 days later, the time has finally arrived for <a href="https://www.serpentsofmadonnina.com/">Inter Milan</a> to get back into action.</p>
<p id="m12ezu">On Sunday evening, 20:45 CET, Luciano Spalletti’s men are due to play their first match of the 2018-19 Serie A season and inaugurate what we hope will be an enthralling campaign, as they travel to face <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/sassuolo">Sassuolo</a> at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia.</p>
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<img alt="SS Lazio v FC Internazionale - Serie A" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3ESBal5QBuVMmW3Hjf8eIFPjsxk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12302367/960602228.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>It’s time to get going again, folks!</figcaption>
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<p id="PwNjl2">On the one hand, the <em>Neroverdi </em>would appear to be a favourable opening day opponent for Inter, in that they’re not a direct rival and will be playing just their second competitive game under new head coach Roberto De Zerbi (thus ensuring they’ll still be very much a work in progress as they look to assimilate his ideas).</p>
<p id="gqzF17">On the other hand, you could also argue that the fixture computer has done us no favours whatsoever. For the simple reason that, traditionally, fixtures against Sassuolo have always been a real pain in the you-know-where for Inter.</p>
<p id="t2BMbZ">Our struggles in these match-ups are such that we’ve actually recorded more defeats against them (6) than victories (4) since the first meeting in 2013 - the last of which came on the penultimate weekend of the previous campaign, when Sassuolo came to San Siro and seriously jeopardised our chances of <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> qualification with a 2-1 win.</p>
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<img alt="US Sassuolo v FC Internazionale - Serie A" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xHRwYOQXmyiInUrSf5hLS0mGP6U=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12302041/897738310.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>Can Inter overcome their Sassuolo hoodoo on Sunday night?</figcaption>
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<p id="fGM9no">And if that most recent defeat back in May wasn’t painful enough in itself, we then had to suffer the ignominy of being mocked by club owner Giorgio Squinzi a few days later, when he told reporters that <em>“every time we beat Inter I hang a picture in my office with the result and date written on it, but we’re up to six wins now and I’ve run out of space...”</em></p>
<p id="0LiVXf">For that reason as much as anything else, it feels like it’s time to put this lot back in their place. <em>“We need to win so that Squinzi doesn’t have to face this problem anymore,”</em> as Spalletti said on the day the fixture schedule was released.</p>
<p id="q5hmVu">As far as Inter’s new arrivals are concerned, the numerous ‘likely starting XI’ articles I’ve seen peppered around the internet this weekend suggest that we’re going to see four summer signings out of seven making their full debuts in Reggio Emilia.</p>
<p id="ZVGP5f"><span>Radja Nainggolan</span> has not been included in Spalletti’s match-day squad as he continues to recover from the thigh injury he sustained in the friendly against Sion four weeks ago, while Šime Vrsaljko and Keita Baldé are both expected to start from the bench.</p>
<p id="OsEkDF">The rest, however, will probably start: Matteo Politano, who will immediately be pitted against his former club no sooner has he left it; Stefan De Vrij, who could partner Miranda in central defence with doubts over Milan Skriniar’s fitness; <span>Kwadwo Asamoah</span>, who might play on the left wing with Ivan Perišić yet to get up to speed following his <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/fifa-world-cup">World Cup</a> exertions; and last, but by no means least, Lautaro Martinez, who is primed to replace Nainggolan in the no. 10 position behind <span>Mauro Icardi</span>.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="FC Internazionale v US Sassuolo - Serie A" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gu29HA9cPaIwpoAOtldjTeVJAHM=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12302117/957761632.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>This won’t be just another game of football for Matteo Politano...</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p id="i3tId8">In theory, therefore, Spalletti’s first starting XI of the season is expected to look like this: Samir Handanovic in goal; <span>Danilo D’Ambrosio</span>, De Vrij, Miranda and Dalbert in defence; Matias Vecino and Marcelo Brozović in midfield; Politano, Martinez and the ultra-versatile Asamoah in the line of three; and Icardi up front on his own, as it were. 4-2-3-1, barring huge surprises.</p>
<p id="nyYwVd">Can Inter get their season off to another flying start like they did last year, or will they be castigated once again by a side that we’ve all grown to loathe in a purely sporting sense? At last it’s nearly time to find out. Inter’s 2018-19 season is about to get under way. Let’s make it a great one.</p>
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<h2 id="2vUDdM">Match Info</h2>
<p id="JL8j7I"><strong>Date & Time:</strong> August 19, 2018, 8:45 p.m. CEST (2:45 p.m. on the U.S. East Coast)</p>
<p id="o5ibLa"><strong>Location:</strong> Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore, Reggio Emilia</p>
<p id="wTuZkG"><strong>TV/Streaming:</strong> In the United States, the game will be shown both on ESPN+ and on Rai Italia America. In the United Kingdom, you can find it on Eleven Sports 2.</p>
<p id="kpBEM8">Click <a href="https://www.livesoccertv.com/match/3067138/sassuolo-vs-internazionale/"><strong>here</strong></a> to find out where how you can follow the match around the world.</p>
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<h2 id="AXMDaM">Inter’s Matchday Squad</h2>
<p id="UGzx3a"><strong>Goalkeepers:</strong> Handanovic, Padelli, Berni</p>
<p id="j0P8Xj"><strong>Defenders:</strong> Vrsaljko, De Vrij, Ranocchia, Asamoah, Miranda, Dalbert, D’Ambrosio, Skriniar</p>
<p id="NRwXW3"><strong>Midfielders:</strong> Gagliardini, Vecino, <span><strong>Borja Valero</strong></span>, Brozovic</p>
<p id="nhK3Rl"><strong>Forwards:</strong> Karamoh, Icardi, Lautaro Martinez, Keita Balde, Perisic, Candreva</p>
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<h2 id="n00CUg">Match Thread Rules</h2>
<p id="Mtx7sY">There are only three rules: don’t be hateful, don’t disrespect anyone else’s opinion and enjoy the game!</p>
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https://www.serpentsofmadonnina.com/2018/8/19/17749930/sassuolo-vs-inter-milan-match-preview-ways-to-watch-and-live-match-threadWill Beckman