5 days Ago By SempreInter.com
According to Tuttosport via , three Nerazzurri aces failed to meet expectations in last night’s blockbuster at Giuseppe Meazza. France exacted revenge on Italy for a 3-1 defeat in September’s reverse fixture in Paris. Despite lacking headline forward Kylian Mbappe, Didier Deschamps’ team stunned the Azzurri in their backyard.
Former Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot ran the show. Indeed, the Olympique Marseille man netted a game-winning double in Les Bleus’ scintillating 3-1 victory. Guglielmo Vicario’s unfortunate own goal furthered France’s cause, while Andrea Cambiasso netted a consolation strike for Italy.
Alessandro Bastoni, Nicolo Barella, Davide Frattesi, and Federico Dimarco forged the backbone of Luciano Spalletti’s starting XI. However, only the latter lived up to the billing. Bastoni substantially struggled against his clubmate Marcus Thuram, while Barella and Frattesi lost the midfield battle.
Frattesi fared significantly better than Barella. Whether it was fatigue or a rare night off, the diminutive midfielder was a shadow of himself last evening. Meanwhile, Dimarco delivered another sumptuous performance.
In addition to setting up Cambiaso for the goal, he was a constant threat on the left flank. On top of his signature overlapping runs, he was impressive at the back, making light work of Randal Kolo Muani. But his heroics were in vain, as Italy couldn’t gain a foothold in the game.
That’s largely thanks to Barella’s ineffective showing. Tasked with replacing Lorenzo Pellegrini in the advanced playmaker’s role, the 27-year-old flopped. On the other hand, went from strength to strength.
Despite failing to find the net, he made a menace of himself in transition, giving Bastoni a nightmare. Thuram’s stellar display helped France leapfrog Italy into Group A2’s summit..
