Inter, 8 penalties from the start of the season: it’s a record

There is a fact that reflects the overwhelming power of the Nerazzurri attack in these first 15 games of the championship, even going beyond the evidence of the “simple” number of goals. To say a lot about the impact force that Inzaghi’s Inter has expressed so far are also the eight penalties he has benefited from, an absolute record in Inter history after just over a third of the championship. The key is undoubtedly the distinctly offensive vocation of Inzaghi’s team, which logically increases the chances of penalties in favor. Not surprisingly, five of the eight eleven-meter shots that the Nerazzurri have enjoyed have arrived in the last four days, those in which Inter have collected the most attacks and shots on goal.

THE SPECIALIST

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No one has had more penalties in favor so far, but the 8 of the Nerazzurri are not an absolute record. That is up to Lazio two years ago and Milan last season (10), to discover that in 2020 Inzaghi’s biancocelesti set the absolute record for penalty shots in a single championship (18, a record improved the following year by the Rossoneri of Pioli at an altitude of 20). For Inzaghi’s teams, penalties are therefore a pleasant habit, a direct consequence of the offensive mentality and the proactive attitude that the coach manages to impress. Proof of this is another record held by the Piacenza coach, that of consecutive matches with at least one penalty in favor: there were five in 2017, always on the Lazio bench.

HIGH VOLTAGE

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The relationship with the shots from eleven meters remains a rather tense relationship at the Nerazzurri. Net of an overall satisfactory achievement percentage (75%), so far four have appeared on the disk (Lautaro, Calhanoglu, Perisic and Dimarco), demonstrating that there is not yet a well-defined hierarchy. Inzaghi said it clearly after Toro’s mistake in the derby and the momentary passing of the baton to Calhanoglu, but the discussion between the two before the last penalty kicked against Spezia (with the Argentine imposing himself with arrogance) revealed a some tension. Penalties, against or in favor, are however a curious leitmotif of every direct clash played so far, but fate has said badly in four out of five circumstances: against Atalanta (mistake by Dimarco), against Juve (controversial foul by Dumfries on Alex Sandro), against Lazio (a penalty by Immobile that starts the biancoceleste turnaround) and against Milan (mistake by Lautaro). The turnaround against Napoli, because the penalty converted by Calhanoglu contributed to the final success. It may have been a coincidence, but since that day the wind has turned for Inter and the climb to the top has begun.