Five things learned as Coutinho shines despite Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Inter

In a one-sided match, Inter managed to hold off a fierce Barcelona side to draw 1-1.

Barça dominated the game from start to finish and even scored a late goal, but Inter are rarely denied and managed to equalise. The point qualifies the Blaugrana from the group, and leaves Inter in position to hold off the Tottenham challenge. What did we learn?

1. Megaton Milan Skriniar

One of the most satisfying things about defenders going into duels is the concussive force with which they win them. It almost feels like an explosion, in which an enormous amount of energy is released all at once. Some defenders cause bigger explosions than others, but Milan Skriniar against Barcelona hit with the force of a thermonuclear bomb every single time.

This was a match Inter as a side almost had no stake in. Barcelona were absurdly superior and rained shots down on the Italian side; but rarely were these shots what one would call a “good” chance, and the reason for that is Skriniar. The Slovakian centre-back was incredible against the Blaugrana, in every single duel or 50/50 he hammered his opponent and came out victorious.

Even Luis Suárez, who was actually playing brilliantly, could get no change out of Skriniar. The Slovakian dominated on the ground, in the air, on the run, standing still. No matter what Barcelona threw at him, he shut it down and was the major reason Inter kept Barcelona out for as long as they did, allowing them to get a crucial point.

2. Arise Coutinho

Philippe Coutinho’s season was trundling along nicely, with the Brazilian positioning himself as a lovely foil for Leo Messi. He appeared to have figured out how to play “off” the Argentine, but when Messi got injured Coutinho’s form wavered. He struggled massively in every game without Messi (despite his important Clásico goal).

Tonight, however? Tonight Coutinho was at his resplendent best. He bobbed, he weaved, he even set the tempo. Coming deep to start attacks, Coutinho constantly drove the ball forward and kept his side on the offensive, preventing their possession from becoming sterile.

Ironically the worst part of Coutinho’s performance tonight (by a distance) was his shooting. The Brazilian was constantly letting fly with questionable accuracy at moments when passes would have worked better. But even then, it was Coutinho who created Barça’s goal out of almost nothing with a superb turn, run and pass.

3. Valverde learning his lessons?

Last time Ernesto Valverde was managing Barcelona on Italian soil, he was throwing away a 4-1 lead to Roma in one of the most astonishing bottlejobs you’ll ever see. Part of the reason for this debacle was the fact that he decided to keep Ousmane Dembélé on the bench. Roma pressed high, there was oceans of space behind their defence, but Valverde refused to use his fast forward until it was too late.

That hesitance has repeated itself this season, but not tonight. Dembélé was in from the start, and even though he didn’t necessarily have the best game, the mere threat of his dribbling and pace was enough to push Kwadwo Asamoah back and keep him on the defensive.

What’s more, when he came off he wasn’t replaced by a defender or a central midfielder, but Malcom; a winger of similar pace and skill. This change kept Barça in possession of a vertical threat, and it was no coincidence that Malcom scored just minutes after coming on. Driving forward at speed he penned Inter back and curled the ball around the Inter defence to give Barça a late lead.

Is Valverde learning his lessons? Because if so, Barcelona could really start to play some wonderful stuff.

4. Sergi Roberto can’t defend

This is something that was technically known but this was yet more confirmation that for all he adds with the ball at his feet, Sergi Roberto remains a defensive liability. The Catalan was good with the ball again but Inter ripped him to bits, they constantly sent the ball down their left, going right at Roberto or, just as often, going right at the oceans of space he had left behind him.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Inter’s eventual equaliser came right from exposing Sergi Roberto. As the ball was played into the box, Roberto was flat-footed and slow to react as Inter’s main man controlled the ball and turned with all the freedom of the penalty area and hammered the Italian side level. Roberto can’t defend, Nelson Semedo needs a chance.

5. Mauro Icardi. Always.

Inter have scored a lot of goals this season. In particular they’ve scored a lot of late goals. They’ve also scored a lot of goals from losing positions. In fact they’ve always gone behind in every game so far in the Champions League this season, yet they’ve lost just once; away to Barcelona. Against PSV and Spurs they came back to win (in stoppage time vs. Spurs) and tonight, against Barcelona? They got the draw.

The goal was scored, of course, by Mauro Icardi. Inter’s captain and talisman delivered yet again despite almost never seeing the ball before the 85th minute. Icardi touched the ball just 21 times, less the other 21 starters on the field and even Arturo Vidal who came off the bench for Barça. He just wasn’t involved, but he didn’t have to be. He never has to be.

Icardi has made a habit of barely seeing the ball, of drifting through games, and then pouncing at the crucial moment. How he is still at Inter (with all due respect to Inter) is a true mystery. Especially as Real Madrid are crying out for a relentless goalscorer who barely needs to touch the ball in order to hammer in goal after goal after goal.

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