Scudetto race: Will Inter be able to finally end drought?
2010. That was the last time Inter won the Scudetto. It also happened to be the year in which the Nerazzurri, then under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, became the first Italian side to win the Treble. A year later, Inter won the Coppa Italia. To date, that’s the last trophy the Milan giants have claimed as they began to fade off the big stage over the next decade.
Last season, however, Inter finished second in Serie A. Led by Antonio Conte, they also made a run all the way to the Europa League final before unfortunately being beaten by serial winners Sevilla. Although they finished the season sans silverware, Inter had made their first appearance in a European final since winning the Champions League in 2010. In addition, they were pipped to the Scudetto by just one point; indeed, had they drawn fewer matches, it’s possible they would have won it as Juventus tailed off near the end of their campaign.
Finishing as runners-up meant that Inter would be back in the Champions League, but after finishing bottom of their quartet – which also means no Europa League football – the Nerazzurri turned their attention back towards domestic affairs. And after being knocked out of the Coppa Italia semi-finals by Juventus, the Scudetto is now the only trophy available to win.
That actually might suit Conte well, as he now can make sure his squad are fighting fit for every single game. Playing once a week will naturally be a less troublesome business for the team, as opposed to other title contenders like Juventus and Milan, both of whom are still involved in European football. And having now moved to the top of the league table thanks to a 3-1 win over Lazio and Milan suffering a shock loss to Spezia, Inter will have yet another opportunity to pull further ahead when they take on the Rossoneri in this weekend’s Derby della Madonnina.
Yet despite it feeling fantastic to be on top of the table, Inter fans will still be wary. After all, the Nerazzurri led the league charts on several occasions last season and even went into the Christmas break as winter champions. However, after kicking off 2020 with a resounding 3-1 road win over Napoli, three back to back draws with Atalanta, Lecce, and Cagliari saw them slip into second. Frustratingly, Lecce and Cagliari were teams they easily dispatched on matchdays one and two respectively, and Inter also revenge on Atalanta by defeating them on the final matchday of the season.
Yet, the damage had already been done, and Inter’s Scudetto chances certainly weren’t helped by back to back losses to Lazio and Juventus. In fact, between January and March 8th, when Serie A was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic making its way from China around the world, Conte’s side won just three of their eight Serie A games. Losing to Lazio and Juventus certainly isn’t the worst thing, but dropping valuable points against the likes of Lecce, Cagliari, and Atalanta would end up costing them dearly.
So much so that even though Juventus barely got over the finish line, the Bianconeri had done just enough to edge out their bitter rivals for the coveted prize. This time around, however, Inter now have a ten point gap over Juventus, who despite having a game in hand, haven’t been the formidable side that won an unprecedented nine straight Scudetti dating back to 2012. Andrea Pirlo’s side have lost three times this season, with two of those defeats coming in their last five games, and have dropped valuable points against minnows like Benevento, Crotone, and Hellas Verona. While they’re still not a side to be ignored, there is a feeling that this season may be other teams’ time to shine after coming up short for nearly a decade.
The question is: Will Inter be able to finally seize their opportunity? Milan sit just a point behind, waiting for the Nerazzurri to slip up, and that will make this weekend’s Derby della Madonnina even more interesting. Juventus are currently in fourth spot, eight points behind, but still remain a lurking threat, waiting for the teams above them to suffer a wobble as the campaign heads into its last third.
Having been in this position before, and seeing it all go up in smoke, Inter obviously will be loath to allow the Scudetto to slip through their hands for a second straight term. The ball is firmly in their court, now all eyes will be on whether they can successfully get the job done and end an 11-year long wait to finally reclaim the throne as champions of Italy.
