Inter have had a poor start defensively, and the so-so showings of Samir Handanovic have contributed to it. While he hasn’t had glaring blunders, he hasn’t performed at the same level as the top goalkeepers in Serie A. The contrast with Mike Maignan, who saved the day for Milan late in Saturday’s Derby, was stark.
As per Corriere della Sera, Simone Inzaghi is considering giving André Onana the nod in tonight’s match against Bayern Munich. The former Ajax shot-stopper was brought in to eventually be a starter. However, at some point during last season, the Nerazzurri decided to keep the veteran too.
Inter and Handanovic have given up 8 goals on just 19 shots so far. They had been beaten 32 times in Serie A in the whole 2021/2022 campaign. The average has spiked from 0,84 to 1,6. They have registered only one clean sheet, versus Spezia. The captain has visibly lacked explosivity.
He hasn’t been the lone problem, as the midfield has won a mere 37 percent of their tackles, and the defense has left a lot to be desired too. As Inzaghi pointed out after the recent loss, La Beneamata has conceded too easily. The gaffer also didn’t like some attitudes on the pitch. On top of the goalie, Nicolò Barella and Stefan De Vrij could begin on the bench versus Bayern as well, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Danilo D’Ambrosio taking their spots in the XI.
Our Take on Inter Potentially Benching Handanovic
It will happen at some point this season, but if it occurred in a high-profile bout like this one, it would basically be a formal changing of the guard. The manager has to make sure Onana is fully ready for that before making the call.
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