Not only the attack, Inter’s defence has also made the Nerazzurri one of the strongest teams in Europe right now. Inter’s defence has the best numbers in Europe right now”
In these first four months of the 2023-24 season, Inzaghi has built a formidable defense in front of Sommer, and the numbers so far are impressive despite the injuries that have, in turn, kept almost all the components of the Nerazzurri backline out of play (from Acerbi to Bastoni, from Pavard to De Vrij).
GOALS CONCEDED
Inter has the best defense in Italy with only 7 goals conceded in 16 matches. This is less than half compared to Arsenal, leading in the Premier League (15 goals conceded). The Nerazzurri have now outperformed Nice, as the least “penetrated” defense in Ligue 1 (9 goals), Bayer Leverkusen, holds the same record in Germany (12), and Real Madrid, leading in La Liga (12). In the five major European leagues, no team matches Inter’s defensive record. Broadening the scope to other leagues, there is one team that has performed better: PSV, which has won all 16 matches in the Netherlands, conceding only 6 goals. In Portugal, Porto, second in goals conceded, has let in 9 goals but in 13 matches.
CLEAN SHEETS
In terms of clean sheets in the top 5 European leagues, Sommer leads the way with 11, surpassing Marcin Bulka of Nice (10), Lucas Crevalier of Lille (9), and the Szczesny-Perin duo of Juventus (9). Expanding the discussion to the rest of the continent, Sommer shares the top spot of 11 clean sheets with Walter Benitez of PSV, one more than the 10 collected by Alexander Schlager of Salzburg. This achievement is credited to a team that alternates high pressure with the ability to compactly organize behind the ball. It’s essential, however, to recognize Sommer’s skill, perhaps not often tested but frequently decisive when called into action. For example, against Lazio, he made a crucial save against Rovella. The legacy of Onana could have weighed heavily, but instead, it has weighed on Onana for having changed jerseys.”
