Playing for 90
Fansided

5 key matchups for the first Derby d’Italia of the year

By John Vaccaro

MILAN, ITALY - AUGUST 26: Ivan Perisic #44 of FC Internazionale celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the opening goal during the serie A match between FC Internazionale and Torino FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 26, 2018 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani - Inter/Inter via Getty Images)
MILAN, ITALY - AUGUST 26: Ivan Perisic #44 of FC Internazionale celebrates with his team-mates after scoring the opening goal during the serie A match between FC Internazionale and Torino FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 26, 2018 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani - Inter/Inter via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
ALLIANZ STADIUM, TURIN, ITALY – 2018/11/24: Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus FC celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and SPAL. Juventus FC won 2-0 over SPAL. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
ALLIANZ STADIUM, TURIN, ITALY – 2018/11/24: Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus FC celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and SPAL. Juventus FC won 2-0 over SPAL. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images) /

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Danilo D’Ambrosio/ Sime Vrsaljko

Cristiano Ronaldo has absolutely dominated in his first Serie A season and it will take an unbelievable effort from Inter’s right back to stop Ronaldo from adding Inter to his list of victims. Whether it’s Danilo D’Ambrosio or Sime Vrsaljko they both have factors working in their favor that could make either of them the man to slow down the living legend.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been absolutely lighting it up during his first season with Juve, scoring 10 goals and assisting 5 more in 14 Serie A matches while also registering a goal and an assist in the Champions League. He has been an absolute nightmare for opposing right backs all season long and will be Juve’s most dangerous option yet again on Friday. Whether it’s trying to create his own shot or opening space for his teammates it is very likely that any Juve scoring will come through Ronaldo.

Inter has 2 options available at right back to try and slow down the league’s frontrunner for Capocannoniere. One option is Sime Vrsaljko, who is as familiar with Ronaldo any player in Serie A after going head-to-head with him in Madrid for two years. Unfortunately for Inter he may not quite be ready for this match after an extended absence due to injury. That leaves Danilo D’Ambrosio who has done everything in his power to make sure he doesn’t lose the starting right back job when the newcomer returns. He has defended well, averaging 2 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per match while avoiding major mistakes. He also even had a beautiful finish against Fiorentina to deliver a win for Inter back in September.

If Ronaldo wins this matchup then it will be a long day for the Inter defense. The last thing they can afford to have in this match is Ronaldo running free down the left. If D’Ambrosio or Vrsaljko wins this matchup then Inter will have much less to worry about defensively as Juve’s biggest attacking threat will not be able to create opportunities as he has throughout the season.

Home/Serie A