Inter will need their talismanic forward, Lautaro Martinez, at his peak powers when they encounter Bologna on Saturday. As Serie A’s second-best defense after the opening seven matchdays, Thiago Motta’s men will touch down at Giuseppe Meazza hellbent on frustrating Simone Inzaghi’s free-flowing frontline.
Martinez came off the bench to make history against Salernitana last weekend. It took the 26-year-old only 27 minutes on the pitch to score four goals, becoming the quickest player to bag a quadruple in a single Serie A game. The Inter captain’s phenomenal exploits at Stadio Arechi took his seasonal tally to ten goals across all competitions.
However, the Argentina international failed to lace up his scoring boots in the Champions League on Tuesday. Inter squeaked past Benfica 1-0 at home as Martinez hit the woodwork twice and saw Anatoliy Trubin thwart him on multiple occasions. He’ll need to leave frustration behind if the league pacesetters are to penetrate Bologna’s water-tight backline.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, only Manchester City ace Erling Haaland has more goal contributions than the Inter stalwart in 2023. With 33 goals and eight assists, the Norwegian is leading the way. But Martinez’s remarkable haul of 37 goals/assist keeps Il Toro within touching distance.
It’s been over 430 minutes of play since Bologna’s defense last capitulated in Serie A. But if there’s a player capable of beating Lukasz Skorupski, it’s Martinez. Likewise, Inter know in-depth about overcoming Motta’s defensive set-up, as witnessed by a comprehensive 6-1 win in this corresponding fixture last term.
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