Chapter 182: Four Defensive Midfielders

Chapter 182: Four Defensive Midfielders

The match between Udinese and Inter Milan at the San Siro kicked off at 8:45 PM local time on December 6th.

Half an hour before the match, the vast San Siro stadium was already filling up with fans.

"Dejan, who do you think will win?" asked Diletta Leotta, the newly signed and smiling presenter for Italy's Sky Sports, to her co-commentator.

Diletta Leotta, 23, had studied law in university but became a weather presenter after graduation and then joined Sky Sports as a football commentator a year later. This was her first time commentating on a match, and it was the high-profile clash between Inter Milan and Udinese, showing Sky Sports' high regard for her.

Inter Milan legend Dejan Stanković, the guest commentator, replied, "The pressure is really on Inter Milan for this match. They can't afford to lose to the same team three times in a row. However, beating Udinese won't be easy. Coach Guidolin has shaped Udinese into a well-balanced team with excellent tactics."

As the commentators interacted, the time passed quickly, and soon the players took the field. When the names of Inter Milan players were announced, cheers erupted in the San Siro. The loudest cheer was for team captain Ranocchia, a beloved figure among the fans who had taken over the captain's armband from the retired Zanetti.

"Let's take a look at the starting lineups," the TV broadcast displayed the starting eleven for both teams.

Inter Milan Starting Lineup (4-3-3):

Goalkeeper: 1 Handanović

Defense: 55 Nagatomo, 23 Ranocchia, 5 Juan Jesus, 22 Dodô

Midfield: 13 Guarín, 18 Medel, 17 Kuzmanović

Attack: 10 Kovačić, 8 Palacio, 9 Icardi

"This lineup…" Leotta paused, seemingly searching for the right words.

"It's a lineup set to swallow Udinese whole," Stanković said bluntly. "It's very aggressive and risky."

"Manicini must be driven mad by Inter Milan fans," Guidolin said to his assistant, waving a piece of paper. "Look at this, Kovačić on the flank, essentially making it a four-forward setup. In the midfield, Medel and Kuzmanović as dual defensive midfielders, but neither are true defensive specialists. Tsk tsk."

Guidolin shook his head, "Is he overconfident, or does he just look down on us?"

"You seem pretty pleased," his assistant chuckled.

"Setting the lineup is the first step in tactical battles. Luckily, I was prepared," Guidolin said smugly, anticipating Mancini's reaction upon seeing Udinese's lineup.

"Now, let's look at Udinese's starting lineup."

Udinese Starting Lineup (4-5-1):

Goalkeeper: 31 Karnezis

Defense: 89 Piris, 75 Heurtaux, 5 Danilo, 2 Cancelo

Midfield: 27 Widmer, 4 Kanté, 6 Allan, 8 Bruno Fernandes, 19 Guilherme

Forward: 10 Di Natale

"Three defensive midfielders? I did not expect that," Stanković shook his head. "Coach Guidolin's lineup surprised me. Cancelo at left-back, with Kanté, Allan, and Guilherme forming a three-man midfield…"

"It's actually more of a 4-4-1-1 formation. Widmer and Guilherme are versatile enough to fall back and form a four-man midfield, with Bruno Fernandes behind Di Natale, providing support," Leotta added.

Stanković remained silent. Last season, Widmer played as a forward, but as he gained more experience, his defensive potential was unlocked by Guidolin, moving him further back. Similarly, Guilherme started as a left winger in the European Super Cup but gradually moved to a defensive midfield role.

"Four defensive midfielders! This is a regression in artistic football. Only Guidolin would deploy such a crazily conservative formation to win," the Milan TV commentator mocked.

Seeing Guidolin's eyebrow-raising lineup with four defensive midfielders—Kanté and Allan in the center, Guilherme on the left, and Widmer on the right, effectively blocking the midfield—Mancini was stunned. He had never seen such a defensive setup.

"Dammit! He swore at the pre-match press conference that he would outscore Inter and play attacking football, then fields this lineup!" Mancini fumed. Pre-match misdirection was common, but this felt like a toxic deception.

"Four defensive midfielders won't stop us from scoring!" the Milan commentator shouted.

"Inter Milan will face trouble," Stanković predicted, frowning. "Udinese is known for their strong interceptions. With four defensive midfielders, Kuzmanović and Medel will struggle. It will be hard for them to make a significant impact."

As the match began with a loud cheer from the San Siro stands, the 2014-2015 Serie A round 14 clash between second-placed Udinese and Inter Milan kicked off.

Twenty minutes into the match, the San Siro crowd erupted in boos again. Kanté extended a friendly hand to help Medel up, but Medel ignored him, glaring angrily. The referee held up two fingers towards Kanté, indicating it was his second foul.

Kanté innocently protested that he barely touched Medel, but seeing the referee's stern look, he wisely shut his mouth. By this time, Inter Milan's players and fans had accumulated a lot of frustration.

"That was a foul! Second time!" Medel yelled at the referee as he got up. "Shouldn't that be a card?"

The referee's expression changed, pointing sternly at Medel, warning him to keep quiet or face a card. Ranocchia hurried over to pull Medel away and then approached the referee to discuss.

Ranocchia complained not just about this foul but about Udinese's subtle fouls since the match began. The referee acknowledged Ranocchia's protest and then told him to keep quiet.

"Let's look again at how Udinese's players defend with subtle moves," Diletta Leotta said. "These actions are discreet and not harmful, making it difficult for the referee to spot and even if noticed, not card-worthy."

"Inter Milan is falling into Udinese's trap, fighting in midfield, which is exactly what Guidolin wants," Hierro commented. After the match started, Udinese's midfield of Widmer, Kanté, Allan, and Guilherme formed a wall in front of the defense, making it hard for Kuzmanović and Medel to pass the ball comfortably.

This forced Guarín and Kovačić to drop back frequently to receive the ball, but advancing further was equally difficult. Guidolin's instructions to his midfielders were clear: don't let Inter's midfielders handle the ball comfortably or organize attacks. In short, disrupt Inter's midfield at all costs.

Kanté and his teammates executed Guidolin's plan well, making it tough for Inter's star players. They used subtle, effective moves, physical challenges, and timely tactical fouls to disrupt play.

Against Udinese's four defensive midfielders, Medel, Kuzmanović, Guarín, and the young Kovačić found themselves struggling under constant pressure. Guarín, especially, seemed hesitant in physical duels, possibly fearing injury, and began avoiding confrontations with Kanté.

(End of chapter)