Inter Milan 1-1 Barcelona: Hits and Flops

HITS

#4 Mauro Icardi

Icardi was on hand to bury the equalizer for Inter Milan

The 24-year-old is one of the best strikers in the world at the moment, and has proven his abilities with Inter Milan since his 2014 transfer from Sampdoria, scoring numerous goals which have largely been responsible for the upturn in fortunes of the Nerrazzurri in recent seasons.

The Argentine international is Inter’s captain and talisman on the field, and was named the joint-top scorer in Serie A last season with 28 goals (alongside Ciro Immobile), and this played a huge role in helping Internazionale qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons.

Against Barcelona, Inter Milan were on the backfoot for most of the match, as they struggled to carve out chances due to Barcelona’s superiority in the match, but with Icardi leading the line, they knew they were always in the match, as all he needed was just a chance, and he would grab it with both hands.

Icardi was rested for the weekend’s trashing of Genoa, and it proved to be a masterstroke from Spalletti, as the former Barcelona youth product got the chance he had been craving for in the 87th minute when Vecino’s shot was deflected to his path. He showed great strength to stave off a challenge from Pique and Lenglet, and had the composure to slot past Ter Stegen with a calm finish.

The goal made it nine goals from his last nine appearances for Icardi this season, and with this kind of form, there might be no stopping Inter Milan from achieving their season objectives.

---

#3 Phillippe Coutinho

Coutinho was at the heart of everything Barca created

Coutinho was earmarked as one of the players who would be crucial to Barcelona’s successes after the injury sustained by Lionel Messi, and the 26-year-old has largely fulfilled his role with distinction.

Signed from Liverpool for a club record fee in January with the aim to being the long-term replacement for the legendary Iniesta who has since departed for Japan, Coutinho has played his part in largely filling the incredibly huge boots of Iniesta, and even though not quite there, he is on his way to achieving legendary status at Barcelona.

The Brazilian spent five largely forgettable seasons at San Siro with Inter Milan, making just 28 league appearances in that time, as he spent most of his days as an Inter player on loan at other clubs.

Liverpool made a gamble on him in 2013, and we know his trajectory since then, as he went on to establish himself as one of the best midfielders in the world.

On his first return to San Siro since departing, Coutinho was his usual creative self, at the heart of everything Barcelona created, proving a handful for the Inter backline.

He had a couple of trademark corner shots taken, which all largely failed to trouble Handanovic in the Inter goal, but that took nothing away from Coutinho’s all-round brilliance.